Anti-Trump political posters are popping up in New York City in an unexpected place: trash cans. Posters with the NYC Department of Sanitation logo have appeared on trash cans in the Lower East Side, featuring images of MAGA-hat wearing people behind a no symbol, with the words “Keep NYC Trash Free,” according to Fox News .
The controversial posters are reportedly placed by well-known street artist Winston Tseng. Tseng denied creating the posters in a statement to local station PIX 11, though he said that if he had created the posters, he would hope that people consider the intent.
“For the record, I didn’t create or put up these posters. But if I did, I wouldn’t want people to take them so seriously, since they’re meant to reflect certain parts of our society and not meant to generalize beyond those. I’d just want the intended audience of my fellow ‘classist elitist New Yorkers’ to hopefully be entertained by the ‘unhelpful, tone-deaf message’ as they go about their day in this trash filled liberal bubble,” he said.
He also told the Gothamist that he would “let the poster speak for itself.”
Not everyone appreciates the campaign.
“I actually think it’s really disrespectful to New Yorkers,” Liz Morrow told PIX 11 .
Others told PIX 11 that they thought the campaign was very appropriate for the city.
“I think it’s a little abrasive, but I do appreciate it. I think it’s funny. It’s very New York,” said Julie McMinnon.
One parody image on a trash can in Roosevelt Park features a man with a Confederate flag heart tattoo, a red MAGA hat and a Chick-Fil-A drink in his hand, with the hashtag #KeepNYCTrashFree and the sanitation logo below.
Another shows a MAGA hat-wearing female wearing a strand of pearls and holding a Bible.
Trump supporters weren’t the only targets of the artist’s campaign. Boston sports fans also took a hit, with a poster featuring a Red Sox-hat wearing man holding a Sam Adams beer. One Instagram user appreciated the humor, and shared it on social media.
“Whoever made this please let me know who you are so I can buy you a beer and high five you dude. This is the best poster ever,” they wrote.
The city says that it is looking into the matter, and that they don’t condone defacing city property. Some of the posters have been removed, while others can still be seen around the city.
