- Immigrant Times
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3
A WORK BY JUDITH DE LEEUW*
A Dutch street artist reminds America of the true meaning of the Statue of Liberty
Dutch street artist Judith de Leeuw created a mural in the French town of Roubaix to remind America of the true meaning of the Statue of Liberty
August 2025: A mural depicting the Statue of Liberty covering her eyes in the northern French city of Roubaix has sparked a flurry of comments on social media over its intended swipe at US President Donald Trump's crackdown on migrants. Dutch artist Judith de Leeuw has described her work in Roubaix, which has a large immigrant community, as “a quiet reminder of what freedom should be”.
The Amsterdam-based artist said that freedom felt out of reach for many migrants and communities pushed to the margins of society. “They are deliberately silenced in the hope they remain unseen.”
“I painted her covering her eyes because the weight of the world has become too heavy to witness. What was once a shining symbol of liberty now carries the sorrow of lost meaning,” de Leeuw wrote.
In the US, the artist’s depiction of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French people to the US in the late 1800s, has inspired some sharp criticism from President Trump supporters. A Republican member of the US House of Representatives wrote that the mural disgusted him. “I had an uncle who fought and died in France, where US forces saw combat in both World War I and World War II.”
Roubaix, a town of some 100,000 people and part of the Lille metropolitan area in north-east France, stands by the work of Judith de Leeuw. Deputy Mayor Frédéric Lefebvre stated that the mural conveyed a very strong and powerful political message. “The mural in Roubaix is part of an urban street culture festival backed by the town.”
Roubaix
Roubaix is one of the poorest towns in France. It was economically devastated by the collapse of its once-flourishing textile industry that used to attract migrant workers from elsewhere in Europe, North Africa and beyond.
During the 19th century, Roubaix acquired an international reputation for textile industry and wool production. In the 1970s and 1980s, international competition and automation caused an industrial decline and resulted in the closure of many factories. From that moment on and since the implementation of the French urban policy in the early 1980s, around three-fourths of the town's territory has been regularly assigned specific zoning designations as well as health and welfare plans.
Roubaix's high level of unemployment is a consequence of deindustrialisation. The town is listed among France's poorest cities. Successive local governments have tried to address difficulties associated with deindustrialisation by attracting new industries, making the most of the town's cultural credentials and organising a strong student presence on different campuses. While undergoing conversion efforts, the city is experimenting with new models and can take advantage of successful economic stories.
*Judith de Leeuw
Judith de Leeuw started as a graffiti writer in Amsterdam. In 2017, she won a Dutch Street Art Award in the category Young Talent. The Chicago Tribune called her "one of the best female muralists in the world." Now, she travels the world to paint murals.
In 2007, she started with friends on the street as a graffiti writer. She studied at the Willem de Kooning Academy and Street Art Museum.
In 2016, she painted an Amsterdam mural of Amy Winehouse. In 2017, she created a mural for a pop-up restaurant in Amsterdam. In 2018, she made an eight-story mural of the rapper Winne at the Kruisplein in Rotterdam.
In 2025, she painted a mural in Roubaix, France, that depicted the Statue of Liberty hiding her face in shame.
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