The 80-foot inflatable sculpture causing a stir in Paris due to its uncanny resemblance to a butt plug, has been removed after being vandalized Friday night.
The controversial piece of artwork was titled "Tree," but many onlookers were offended by what they saw as something with a decidedly more vulgar connotation than the Christmas tree it was supposedly inspired by.
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The sculpture, which was put up Thursday on the Place Vendome in Paris, fell down after a group of people severed the cables holding it up, the BBC reported. The vandals also damaged the pump that was keeping it inflated.
"we will pull the plug on this sculpture" - some dude in paris last night, probably— ErnieInABertCostume (@mrhopthescissor) October 18, 2014
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo condemned the attack, according to the BBC, saying "Paris will not succumb to the threats of those who, by attacking an artist or a work, are attacking artistic freedom."
The sculpture, created by American artist Paul McCarthy, sparked controversy almost immediately after it was erected on Thursday. McCarthy said the abstract piece was meant to be a Christmas tree, but many were offended by what they saw as an 80-foot tall sex toy.
New civil war in France over a Xmas tree (by Paul McCarthy) in Paris #PlugGate pic.twitter.com/gqFpuCaZBd— mystic_cat (@mystic_cat) October 18, 2014
/// Common decency : 1 - Degeneracy: 0 #Vendome pic.twitter.com/i249Q2ODsU— Jean-Baptiste (@jbgouraud) October 18, 2014
Though the sculpture was gone as of Saturday, not all were happy to see it removed and many took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
La France unplugged. #PlugGate pic.twitter.com/NrverFEs7R— dan romandini (@DanRomandini) October 18, 2014
Shameful decision and reasons to not reinstall #mccarthy #plug #vendome #plugGate #fiac— lucien zayan (@theinvisibledog) October 18, 2014
Latest news : the attempt to reinstall the '#Tree' has failed :( #pluggate pic.twitter.com/9cJK9WjXBr— wade h grimbly (@worldwidewade) October 18, 2014
Additional reporting by The Associated Press