'Statue of Liberty' topples in storm, footage goes viral

Viral videos are making the rounds online after a giant Statue of Liberty replica came crashing down in southern Brazil.

The videos, now going viral across social media, show the enormous 78-foot statue swaying dangerously before toppling over in a Guaíba car park. The word viral doesn’t even begin to cover how quickly this clip spread.

The storm, with winds reaching up to 55 mph, hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul on December 15. The statue, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, was perched on a 36-foot pedestal in a Havan retail mega store’s car park. While the statue itself smashed on impact, the pedestal remained standing, almost as if shrugging off the chaos.

Cars can be seen driving away as the statue fell. Luckily, no injuries were reported. The massive statue landed on its head, shattering into pieces instantly. The incident happened around 3pm, right at the storm’s peak, and the footage went viral almost immediately.

The Statue of Liberty replica had been a fixture since 2020, Havan confirmed. The company quickly cordoned off the area, prioritizing the safety of staff and customers. Within hours, specialist teams were on-site clearing debris.

A severe weather warning had already been issued by Defesa Civil, Brazil’s civil defense authority. Across the state, reports poured in of fallen trees, damaged roofs, power cuts, and hail. Nearby Lajeado also faced flooding from heavy rain.

Marcelo Maranata, Guaíba’s mayor, confirmed there were no casualties and praised the swift response. Civil Defense officials worked alongside local teams to secure the site and inspect surrounding areas for further damage.

The viral clip continues to spread online, with many noting how surreal it looks—a giant Statue of Liberty crashing in a car park.

This isn’t the first time videos of statues going viral have captured global attention, but the Statue of Liberty replica’s fall seems to have taken it to a whole new level.

By the evening, dozens of posts showing the toppled Statue of Liberty had gone viral, cementing the incident in social media feeds worldwide.