Model defends taking Holocaust memorial selfie after backlash

A lingerie model has been branded an “embarrassment of a human” for a “narcissistic” holiday selfie she shared on Instagram.

British model Rhian Sugden has defended herself after receiving backlash for snapping a selfie at the Holocaust memorial in Berlin, Germany, during her holiday.

Sugden, who describes herself as an international lingerie model, posted a photo on Instagram of herself at the site, also known as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, on Monday with the caption, “E.T. phone home,” Yahoo and Fox News reported.

The model, who said she was on holiday and sightseeing, later changed the caption to only have the hashtags “#sightseeing #museum #Berlin,” but social media users didn’t appreciate the lighthearted message at a memorial honouring the dead.

Rhian Sugden sparked outrage with this Instagram post.

“Imagine having such little respect for the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust that you think this is appropriate,” one user wrote. “What an embarrassment of a human.”

“If you want to document the experience take a picture of the memorial. You don’t have to be in it, I think that is the issue. It becomes self absorbed at that point,” another person commented.

Another follower said, “Your caption is inappropriate considering your setting. It’s weird you don’t realise that.”

The model sparked outrage among Instagram followers.

“Would you take a selfie at a funeral and post it on Instagram? There is a time and place … if you are at a memorial it is a time for reflection not for selfies. It is disrespectful,” someone said.

Another woman said, “Silly pouting/duck faces at a Holocaust memorial? Narcissist.”

Sugden hit back at critics and said other visitors at the memorial have taken pictures in the past.

Rhian Sugden is a British lingerie model.

She wrote in the post’s comment section that anyone who disagreed with the selfie should “just remove” themselves from her Instagram page.

“I’ve got no time for this moaning generation. I’m on holiday. Sightseeing and took a pic. Under no circumstances is this disrespectful,” the model commented.

This is insane! I posted a pic of me sightseeing in Berlin - took a pic at a memorial and made a comment that I look like ET -the abuse I got is mental!

I’m actually gutted people are saying I am disrespectful - I’m really really not. And for this to be picked up on is unfair. pic.twitter.com/ucsDgiCpEr

— Rhian Sugden (@Rhianmarie) December 4, 2018

She also responded to another user, “My name is Rhian** and why? Every other single person who has been there has took a pic/selfie. Am I smiling?? Am I laughing. No.”

She continued her defence on her Instagram stories, saying she received death threats over the selfie.

“All the decent things I do for charities, for other people and this is how I get spoken to for posting a selfie that wasn’t intended to cause any harm or disrespect,” she wrote in her Instagram stories.

She said she didn’t deserve the backlash.

“Thank you to all those who took my innocent site seeing selfie to a whole different level and made me out to be some awful person. Sending me abusive bullying messages.”

The memorial was first opened in 2005 and consists of 2711 rectangular concrete blocks arranged in a grid formation, which have led some to interpret the monument to be a graveyard.

In 2016 Sugden made headlines in Australia when she claimed cricketer Shane Warne bombarded her with text messages, despite being told three times she was engaged to Coronation Street star Oliver Mellor.

After several messages, Mellor stepped in to tell Warne to leave his fiance alone.

Rhian Sugden.

“This is Rhians (sic) Fiance. As I can see from previous messages — she has mentioned this a few times,” Mellor in text messages published online.

“Not sure why a 46 year old man who she has never met ... would want to meetup with her other than to be inappropriate. Get the hint and find somebody single to bombard with messages.”

This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission