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HAWTHORNE, Fla. (WCJB) - A replica of the Statue of Liberty is on display, and this symbol of freedom is splashed in rainbow colors.

It’s not something you see every day if you’re traveling along State Road 20 in Hawthorne, and it’s causing controversy amongst residents.

“Especially on the 4th of July he did something like that, it was like a slap in the face to everybody,” shared resident Ciara Walsh.

“If he’s trying to help out the community, I mean let’s be real what does Hawthorne have,” said resident Brendan Spencer.

Those are the two sides of the controversy. Some want it down and others think it’s nice. Lady Liberty was put up by Ed Witty, the owner of Witty’s Imaginarium. He did not respond to TV20′s efforts to reach him. On Facebook he said he installed the art piece because it symbolizes “man’s promise wrapped in god’s promise.”

Hi. My name is Ed Witty. If you’re going to hate me, then also know that I am a Jew, a nuclear Submarine officer, and a...
Posted by Ed Witty on Friday, July 5, 2024

“Hate is real and people have forgot what love is dude. Just ‘love thy neighbor’ isn’t that what god said? This is what this is supposed to represent,” Spencer shared.

Witty also wants to make this site a pop-up park and there is already benches and picnic tables setup. He also writes the statue is “a reminder that we can choose to love or we can choose to hate.”

“You know all the people that have just struggled to be themselves dude, and everybody’s mad when they can’t get their way to be themselves, so you’re oppressing a whole bunch of people for no reason,” said Spencer.

Some residents are more upset because they feel like Lady Liberty has been vandalized.

“I don’t mind if it stays up just take the colors off of it. That’s disrespectful to our country, to our constitution,” shared resident Jennifer Friend.

For now, through all the controversy, it seems like Lady Liberty will continue holding her torch along State Road 20.

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