Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a provocative act ofanti-Israel animus, a supporter of the October 7th Hamas attack in southern Israel which resulted in the brutal slaughter of 1200 Israelis and others, recently adorned the iconic “Fearless Girl” statue in the financial district of New York City with pro-Hamas symbols, drawing both support and backlash from onlookers, according to a report in The New York Post. The Hamas apologist, identified as Fatima, draped a brown keffiyeh around the statue’s neck and attached a Palestinian flag bearing the words “Freedom for Palestine,” in opposition to the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, the report in the Post added.

On the night of the demonstration, the New York City-born terror supporter, in her 20s, aimed to highlight her discontent with U.S. policies which she believes favor Israel, as was reported by the Post.  Despite the statue being a symbol of women’s empowerment and gender diversity in corporate leadership, Fatima defended her choice, pointing to the use of the statue by other demonstrators supporting causes such as the #MeToo movement.

Pedestrians passing by the “Fearless Girl” statue in lower Manhattan expressed their displeasure with Fatima’s actions. The Post reported that some individuals took offense, with one pedestrian stating, “This isn’t the right place for this.” Others took more direct action, angrily snatching the scarf and flag off the statue before handing them back to the Hamas terror group supporter.  A tourist even requested the removal of the pro-Hamas symbols to take a photo with the statue, as was noted in the Post report.

Fatima, whose family hails from Ramallah in the Judea and Samaria region of Israel openly expressed her full throated support for the October 7th Hamas attack, the Post report said. She unequivocally asserted that the massacre of Israeli civilians including babies, children and the elderly were a necessity of Palestinian resistance to “occupation.”  The Hamas attackers also savagely raped Israeli women and girls, mutilated their bodies and burned them alive.

When questioned about the motivation behind her display, Fatima stated that it aimed to raise awareness for a pro-Hamas rally scheduled for January 13th in Washington, DC. As was indicated in the Post report, she claimed that the majority of the reaction to her demonstration was positive.

The “Fearless Girl” statue, unveiled in 2017 by artist Kristen Visbal, stands at 50.4 inches tall, depicting a young girl with her hands defiantly on her hips. Originally placed opposite the “Charging Bull” installation in Bowling Green, the statue was later moved to its current location due to overwhelming crowds, the report in the Post said. Sponsored by Boston-based asset management firm State Street Global Advisors, the statue has sparked legal controversies, including a lawsuit against Visbal for selling replicas.

Local officials in Manhattan have been deliberating ways for the city to take ownership of the statue, originally intended as a temporary installation but proving to be a popular attraction for tourists. The Post said that as of now, comments from Visbal and State Street Global Advisors regarding the recent pro-Hamas display on the “Fearless Girl” statue near the Wall Street area of Manhattan are yet to be obtained.