Stolen Bruce Lee statue ‘returns’ to Bosnia town
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A restored statue honouring late martial arts legend Bruce Lee was returned to its original location more than a year after it was stolen in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar.
PHOTO: AFP
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Sarajevo – A restored statue honouring late Hong Kong-American martial arts legend Bruce Lee
The life-size bronze statue of the gongfu cinema icon, in a defensive position holding the nunchaku weapon, was originally unveiled at Park Zrinjevac in Mostar in 2005. It has been vandalised several times since.
Lee, who died in 1973 at the age of 32, was chosen as a hero that all ethnic groups could relate to in Mostar. The town remains deeply divided after fierce fighting between Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Muslims during the Bosnian War that took place from 1992 to 1995.
The statue, created by Croatian sculptor Ivan Fijolic, disappeared from the park in March 2024. It was found a few days later, cut into several pieces for sale as scrap metal.
The theft sparked public outrage in the southern town where the statue had become an attraction.
Police soon found the perpetrator who had ripped the statue from its pedestal, and he received a 10-month jail sentence in July 2024.
Ms Elvira Cemalovic, director of the Mostar Tourist Board, stressed the importance of the statue for Mostar residents as a symbol of “justice and peace”, regional broadcaster N1 reported on Dec 17.
She also noted the statue’s global appeal, especially for visitors from China, a key segment of the local tourism market.
“This is not an attraction for just Chinese citizens, but also all tourists,” she said. “I hope the citizens of Mostar will show responsibility and nurture these landmarks.”
According to N1, the restoration of Lee’s statue cost more than 35,000 Bosnian marks (S$27,000). AFP
