Rio Statue Replica Causes Uproar in London

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Christ the Redeemer ©David Berkowitz

The statue of Christ the Redeemer with open arms in Rio is seen around the world as a symbol of peace and friendship. But residents of a posh north London neighborhood are up in arms at the possibility of the Brazilian national tourist board erecting a temporary replica on the summit of Primrose Hill.

The Primrose Hill area is studded with multi-million pound houses, and is popular with celebrities like Jude Law, Kate Moss, Enrique Iglesias as well as leading government officials.

“It’s a very special place, it does not need any building on it. It’s not on,” said Friends of Primrose Hill Chairman Malcolm Kafetz.

The installation would be part of a package of promotional activities to mark the handover of the Olympic mantle from London in 2012 to Rio in 2016. The British government itself has already launched a marketing campaign promoting the country’s culture and business around the world which includes projecting images onto Rio’s Sugarloaf Mountain.

A statement from Brazil’s tourism board asserts that the plans for the replica statue are still being discussed,

“Early exploratory conversations were being started with the Primrose Hill community stakeholders and local authorities to gauge local opinion for a temporary installation that we hoped would be a celebratory landmark that helped to give the London Borough of Camden and Primrose Hill an opportunity to be part of the Olympic story.”

Read more at MSNBC.

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