WASHINGTON — The notorious “Donald J. Trump Enduring Flame” statue — a bronze-colored tiki torch clutched in an imposing fist — met a brutal and unexpected end on Wednesday, less than 24 hours before its planned removal from Freedom Plaza. This controversial statue, an inflammatory tribute to former President Donald Trump’s comments on the 2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally, faced the wrath of two skateboarders who reportedly demolished it with their boards.
The sculpture’s plaque proudly read, “This monument pays tribute to President Donald Trump and the ‘very fine people’ he boldly stood to defend.” Its design—a raised fist clutching a tiki torch—was intended to mimic the torches carried by white supremacists during the Charlottesville rally, where violence erupted in a tragic chapter of recent American history. The statue had drawn outrage, curiosity, and controversy, quickly becoming a symbol of discord since it appeared on Pennsylvania Avenue.
On Wednesday, the day before it was set to be removed, officers responded to reports of the statue’s destruction. According to witnesses, two men—one notably wearing a cowboy hat—descended on the plaza armed with skateboards. Footage shared with police showed one of the men, identified as 34-year-old Balarama-dasa Olufemi Adebisi, delivering blow after blow to the statue, wielding his skateboard in a chopping motion until the piece lay shattered on the ground. His accomplice remains unidentified but allegedly took off as soon as officers arrived, evading capture with one final push of his skateboard.
During a search of Adebisi, officers found a dime-sized baggie of what was later identified as crack cocaine in his pocket. Adebisi is now facing multiple charges: felony destruction of property over $1,000 and possession of a controlled substance.
Police continue to search for the second suspect.
