Carnival parade in Germany Donald Trump shown raping the Statue of Liberty on carnival float
Düsseldorf · German carnival parades traditionally carry political messages. This year, the city of Düsseldorf specifically targeted US president Donald Trump: On one float, the president is seen raping the Statue of Liberty. On another one, Lady Liberty is beheading Trump.
On her chest, she wears a slogan: "America, Resist!" The statue is smiling victoriously, holding the president's separated head in one, the constitution in her other hand.
The floats followed one another in Düsseldorf's carnival parade this Monday, telling spectators a story: The constitution is under attack - and it retaliates. Crowds were cheering when the floats passed by in the parade.
US embassy commented posivitely on German carnival
Parades traditionally take place all over Germany on the days before Ash Wednesday. The ones in Düsseldorf and Cologne are the biggest of their kind, each being broadcast live in German television, and each with 1-1,5 million spectators on the streets.
"Carnival has a big tradition in Germany, it is famed for its exuberance and its exaggerated images", the US Embassy's press department in Berlin stated, wishing all revellers a good time.
Carnival floats designed as political caricatures also have a big tradition in Germany. Their motives often are subject to public discussion. Last year, a Düsseldorf float showed Donald Trump screaming at the Statue of Liberty. On his hair, float makers had painted the words "Make fascism great again". Pictures of the float went viral. International media like the "Washington Post" covered it.
More pictures of this year's parade floats are available here (captions in German).
The man responsible for the floats at the Düsseldorf parade is artist and cartoonist Jacques Tilly. This year, populist movements around the world (including Germany) are the main topic of his work. "We're experiencing a right-wing populist revolt, and it's attacking the values of democracy", Tilly said about his creations.
