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A symbol of Bitcoin’s cultural roots has been damaged in Switzerland. Municipal workers in Lugano have recovered the city’s Satoshi Nakamoto statue from Lake Lugano after it was vandalized and tossed into the water over the weekend. The artwork, which had become a local landmark and international crypto icon, was found broken and scattered between the lake and shoreline.
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The statue stood in Parco Ciani, a popular lakeside park in Lugano. It disappeared late last week, and by Saturday, local residents had begun sharing photos online of the empty pedestal where it once stood. When workers retrieved it, the sculpture was in multiple pieces, some submerged in the lake.
Officials believe the vandals forcibly removed the statue from its base before throwing it into the water. While the motive remains unclear, early speculation suggests it may have been related to rowdy National Day celebrations, possibly involving intoxicated partygoers.
The piece was created by Valentina Picozzi, a longtime Bitcoin supporter who founded Satoshigallery, an art initiative focused on blending crypto with creative expression. The statue had a distinctive optical illusion design resembling digital code—symbolizing the anonymous origins of Bitcoin and its decentralized ethos.
Though the physical statue was damaged, Picozzi and her team say the message behind it remains intact.
Satoshigallery has offered a 0.1 BTC reward for information that leads to identifying those responsible. In a statement, the collective said:
“The symbol was taken, but our values remain strong. We’re still moving forward with our vision of installing 21 statues globally.”
Online, the reaction has been swift. A Change.org petition to restore the statue has gained traction, with supporters pledging to help fund its repair or replacement. Many expressed disappointment that such a meaningful piece of public art was treated so carelessly.
A Bitcoin advocate known as Gritto suggested the incident may have been nothing more than drunken mischief, though no formal suspects have been named.
Despite the damage, Lugano’s commitment to crypto innovation appears unshaken. The statue, originally unveiled during the Plan B Forum, was part of the city’s push—backed by Tether—to integrate blockchain tech into public life and promote Lugano as a global hub for digital finance.