After giving the world a series of symbolic insulting gestures since taking office in January, the administration of President Donald Trump is now facing literal middle fingers as people around the world appear increasingly willing to show the U.S. leadership how they really feel about their agenda.
“I want Trump followed everywhere he goes with an array of cheeky placards and taunts; a chorus of kazoos… [and] a crowd of raised middle fingers.”
—Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
As U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Wellington, New Zealand on Tuesday, his motorcade was greeted by throngs of angered local residents protesting with their middle fingers up—many voicing their opposition to Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate deal.
“I’ve never seen so many people flip the bird at an American motorcade as I saw today,” said a New York Times reporter who was traveling in the press pool.
At a rally nearby, people threw objects, including shoes and water-filled condoms, at a paper maché puppet of Trump.
As Greenpeace activists dropped an enormous banner decrying Trump’s withdraw from Paris, one New Zealander said the middle finger was actually a gesture too weak to express his anger. “As a Kiwi I can say it’s my ‘go to’ form of displaying my discontent however we should come up with something more offensive for these dudes.”
Euronews reports:
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