Dramatic footage has captured the moment a towering 80ft replica of the Statue of Liberty came crashing down in southern Brazil after being battered by fierce winds.
The 24-metre monument was filmed swaying and leaning precariously before finally toppling over in the city of Guaiba, Rio Grande do Sul, on Monday.
Wind gusts exceeding 55mph proved too much for the structure during a severe storm that swept through the region.
Onlookers watched in horror as the iconic replica slowly tilted further and further before collapsing entirely onto a car park, with a McDonald's golden arches sign visible in the background.
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The monument had stood outside a Havan department store since its installation in 2020, one of many such replicas the retail chain uses across Brazil.
The statue narrowly avoided crushing vehicles in the car park below, with footage showing a white car parked dangerously close to where the raised arm came down.
Nobody was hurt in the incident.
The 11-metre concrete base remained standing after the dramatic fall.
Dramatic footage has captured the moment a towering 80ft replica of the Statue of Liberty came crashing down in southern Brazil after being battered by fierce winds
|YOUTUBE
Authorities quickly sealed off the area, and emergency crews were on scene within hours to begin clearing the debris while shocked shoppers looked on.
The footage has since racked up millions of views online, with many social media users finding deeper meaning in the collapse.
"Apart from the irony of it all, amazing how the McDonald's signage withstood the winds better than this massive, solid statue," one person responded to the viral clip.
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Authorities got to the scene within hours to clean up the debris
|REUTERS
Another simply wrote: "Foreshadowing."
One commenter joked it was "the burger equivalent of a Roman divine warning," while someone else said: "A replica of the Statue of Liberty collapsing in front of a McDonald's perfectly sums up the state of the world right now."
Others described the incident as "very symbolic" and an "ominous sign," linking it to the current political climate.
Havan reportedly issued a statement confirming the area was "immediately isolated by the company, following all safety protocols."
The monument had stood outside a Havan department store since its installation in 2020
|REUTERS
The retailer has launched an internal investigation, insisting the statue met technical standards used across its nationwide replicas.
This isn't the first time one of Havan's Liberty replicas has fallen – another came down during a cyclone in Capao da Canoa back in 2021 when winds reached between 40mph and 50mph.
Monday's storm caused widespread damage across Rio Grande do Sul, with hail hitting Tio Hugo and roofs damaged in several towns, including Passo Fundo and Santa Cruz do Sul.
Heavy rain also caused flooding in Lajeado.
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