White House Remembers Harambe on 10-Year Anniversary of Gorilla’s Death: ‘Gone, but Not Forgotten’

The White House released a statement commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the death of Harambe, the gorilla who was fatally shot at the Cincinnati Zoo after a child fell into his enclosure.

“Today, we remember a legend,” the White House’s official X account posted Wednesday, on what would have been Harambe’s 27th birthday:

“On this day in history, Harambe would have celebrated another birthday. An icon that became part of internet history, American culture, and an entire generation’s timeline,” the statement reads. “Tomorrow marks 10 years since we lost him. Ten years since the moment the world stopped scrolling and collectively mourned something bigger than a meme.”

The decision by the Cincinnati Zoo to kill the gorilla was highly controversial, and sparked protests, online campaigns, and a lasting impression on pop culture and politics far past 2016.

The woman who recorded the viral video of the incident defended the zoo’s action, telling local outlet WCPO that the footage did not show the worst parts of the 400-pound gorilla’s interaction with the three-year-old boy. 

“The horrific part, worse than what my video captures, happened on the cement part of that exhibit, and I didn’t capture that video,” eyewitness Kim O’Connor said, explaining that the Harambe had banged the child against the wall of the enclosure prior to dragging him through a pool of water.

Still, the White House stated that the gorilla “became a symbol of loyalty, strength, chaos, unity, and the strange beauty of the internet bringing millions of people together for one cause: never forgetting Harambe.”

“Everyone remembers where they were when they heard the news. And somehow, a decade later, his legacy still lives on,” the statement continued, before concluding with, “Gone, but never forgotten. Rest easy to a true patriot. May 27, 1999 — May 28, 2016 Forever in our hearts.”

Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.