Donald Trump‘s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame mysteriously multiplied on Thursday, days afterthe West Hollywood City Council called for it to be permanently removed from the famed attraction.
A conservative street artist and his cohortsplaced upwards of 50 fake Trump stars on the Los Angeles streets in the early hours of the morning, tellingThe Hollywood Reporterthat the move to preserve his star was just the beginning.
“Rip up the president’s Walk of Fame star or try to have it removed — like you’re the mayor of West Hollywood or something — and 30 more will pop up,” the artist, who wished to remain anonymous, told the trade magazine.
The stars were printed on sheets of floor vinyl with adhesive backing and placed on blank squares throughout the sidewalk,THRreported. They cost $1,000 to produce, money the artist and his group (nicknamed “The Fraction”) made with the financial aid of “a young and anonymous entrepreneur.”
“If no one peels these off, they could last there for 10 years,” the artist said, according to the outlet.
Trump’s original star has beendamaged and vandalized a few times before.
Most recently, a man identified as Austin Clay, 24, took a pickaxe to the property on July 25.Clay was charged with a felonyon Monday for the alleged vandalization, according to CBS Los Angeles.
In July 2016, Plastic Jesus, a street artist, built a wall around the star to make a political statement. And last month, comedianGeorge Lopezpretended to pee on the star.
Leron Gubler, the president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, told PEOPLE in 2016 that a star has “never” been removed from the walk. “Once a star has been added to the Walk, it is considered a part of the historic fabric of the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” he said.
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That didn’t stop the West Hollywood City Council from trying. On Monday, they unanimously voted in favor of a resolution requesting that the Los Angeles City Council and Hollywood Chamber of Commerce take action in permanently removing the star, which the president received for his time hostingThe Apprenticein 2007.
Their decision, CNN reported,is not legally bindingbecause the West Hollywood City Council has no jurisdiction over the Walk of Fame.
In a statement to CNN, West Hollywood Mayor John Duran said, “The West Hollywood City Council did not pass the resolution because Donald Trump is a conservative or a Republican. Earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is an honor. When one belittles and attacks minorities, immigrants, Muslims, people with disabilities or women — the honor no longer exists.”
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Duran added to the outlet that such a request has never been made before, “But the circumstances compelled us to make an exception to the rule.”
Neither the West Hollywood City Council nor the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce immediately responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
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A Ripley’s Believe It or Not! employee, explained to the outlet, “We didn’t want to have what happened to the old star here. Not only would the star be destroyed, but it would damage our property.”
source: people.com
