‘Clean Statue of Liberty’ movement goes viral as New Jersey and New York experience severe flash floods

As New Jersey and New York were struck with severe flash floods on Monday, a viral ‘Clean Statue of Liberty’ movement emerged

Published on: Jul 15, 2025, 06:59:03 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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As New Jersey and New York were struck with severe flash floods on Monday, a viral ‘Clean Statue of Liberty’ movement emerged. Several social media users urged the city and federal government to clean the iconic monument before America's 250th Independence Day next year. We do not know who started the movement, but influencers are posting a timeline of the Statue of Liberty showing the yellowing of the monument.

‘Clean Statue of Liberty’ movement

“There is a movement to clean the statue of liberty next year for America's 250th anniversary,” one person wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Trump should clean the Statue of Liberty to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Internet. Do your thing and make this happen!” another person tweeted.

Advocates further demanded cleaning the statue’s copper patina, removing graffiti, and upgrading Liberty Island’s infrastructure to withstand climate-driven storms. A petition on Change.org was launched in 2022.

“The Statue of Liberty is a Monumental piece of American history, symbolizing our heritage and human rights as citizens of this Great Nation. We as the people must restore this piece of art to its former and original, respective glory, as a sign of hope, peace and pursuit of happiness during these dark times."

"Many of us have families who came through Ellis Island and the rest of the world deserves to see the beascon of hope as it once stood, in its Glory, in order to understand the sentimental value that its beauty brought to the shore of a land that was symbolic of a fresh start for those persecuted by exiled and impoverished.. Please stand with me in getting this statue clean, just as we mist cleanse America of the struggles that many people face everyday in these trying times,” it stated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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