The bronze sculpture that Bilbao dedicated in 2011 to John Adams, the second president of the United States, has been restored and returned to its place. The statue was attacked in mid-March by a man who was intercepted by the Municipal Police and charged with property damage and disobedience.
The piece, created by the Gipuzkoa-based artist Lurdes Umerez, was restored at the Alfa Arte foundry in Eibar. The restoration work cost approximately 9,000 euros. This amount will be claimed by the City Council from the vandal responsible for the sculpture's fall. The trial for the case is still pending.
The incident was detected immediately. Officers on public security duty witnessed the man "shaking" the bronze sculpture. They ordered him to stop, but could not prevent him from knocking the bust to the ground. Upon being discovered, the assailant attempted to flee but was apprehended by members of the Urban Guard, who identified him.
“"This extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government and customs unchanged, more than any other nation in Europe"
The work by John Adams was inaugurated in 2011 by the then-mayor of Bilbao, Iñaki Azkuna, in homage to the second US president. The statue highlights the visit to the Biscayan capital by one of the founding fathers of the American Constitution. Adams visited Euskadi in January 1780 and expressed admiration for the Basque people after his journey.
