Arizona community outraged over anti-Trump billboard
Artists defends depiction of President Trump
The artist behind an anti-Trump billboard seen along a Phoenix roadway defended her illustration of the president seen in between dollar-sign shaped swastikas and mushroom clouds.
“I think a lot of people are feeling this way and I'm just trying to express what I think is on a lot of people's minds these days," Karen Fiorito, the artist, told KPNX-TV on Saturday. "Something that really concerned us was this idea of a dictatorship where things were going in a certain direction."
Clowns are also seen in the mushroom clouds and Trump is pictured wearing a Russian lapel. The opposite side of billboard has sign language, which stands for “unity,” Fox 10 Phoenix reported.
The California-based artist said she received backing from the billboard’s owner Beatrice Moore.
"I got the opportunity to have a platform to say something, and I took that opportunity, and I take full responsibility for it," Fiorito told Fox 10 Phoenix.
Moore told KPNX-TV that the billboard will stay up as long as Trump is president.
"Some of these issues are so important you can't not speak out,” Moore said.
Some residents around the billboard expressed their displeasure about the structure.
"I think this is the greatest thing that I've seen in a long time," Mike Bolenbach told Fox 10 Phoenix. "I think everything Donald Trump is doing is destroying America from the inside."
Jeff Whiteman added, "I don't necessarily agree with the leader of our country and all the things going on, but I would not disrespect him or any leader.”
The pair was reportedly behind another controversial billboard. Fiorito created a billboard of then-President George W. Bush and other officials in 2004 as part of her master of fine arts thesis at Arizona State, according to KPNX-TV.
The billboard read: "Dear America, we lied to you for your own good. Now trust us."
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