ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A 4-meter statue of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was constructed in the western Germany city of Wiesbaden, much to the confusion of local residents.
Erdogan is depicted with his right arm raised, extended and pointed, in a pose some have compared to the late notorious Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
It is now covered in graffiti that includes expletives.
The theme for the art festival is "bad news"
"We have received calls from a string of confused citizens — it is not clear to people that it is part of the Biennale," a Wiesbaden spokesperson told DPA.
City authorities knew a statue would be a part of the art display buy say they were unaware Erdogan would be the subject, the Wiesbadener Kurier reported.
Germany has a large Turkish and Kurdish population. Some of the Kurdish population has expressed support and held rallies for the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG), a mostly Kurdish force fighting ISIS in Syria.
When Erdogan visited Germany in 2017 to rally support for a constitutional referendum, supporters and opponents clashed. German authorities did not permit Erdogan to hold rallies ahead of his presidential election in June.
Erdogan is set to visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin in September. The previous German parliament pulled its troops from Turkey's Incirlik Airbase after they were not permitted to inspect their forces.
The gold-colored effigy was unveiled in Wiesbaden's German Unity Square as a part of the city's Biennale for Contemporary Art on Monday.
Erdogan is depicted with his right arm raised, extended and pointed, in a pose some have compared to the late notorious Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
It is now covered in graffiti that includes expletives.
The theme for the art festival is "bad news"
"We have received calls from a string of confused citizens — it is not clear to people that it is part of the Biennale," a Wiesbaden spokesperson told DPA.
City authorities knew a statue would be a part of the art display buy say they were unaware Erdogan would be the subject, the Wiesbadener Kurier reported.
Germany has a large Turkish and Kurdish population. Some of the Kurdish population has expressed support and held rallies for the Peoples' Protection Units (YPG), a mostly Kurdish force fighting ISIS in Syria.
When Erdogan visited Germany in 2017 to rally support for a constitutional referendum, supporters and opponents clashed. German authorities did not permit Erdogan to hold rallies ahead of his presidential election in June.
Erdogan is set to visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin in September. The previous German parliament pulled its troops from Turkey's Incirlik Airbase after they were not permitted to inspect their forces.
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