New York – A woman was charged on Thursday with misdemeanor trespassing and disorderly conduct for climbing the base of the Statue of Liberty on a busy Fourth of July in what prosecutors called a “dangerous stunt.”
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Court papers also charged Therese Okoumou with resisting arrest by refusing to leave her perch by the bottom of the statue’s robes, about 100 feet above ground. Police were forced to scale the statue to pull her down.
Okoumou allegedly “staged a dangerous stunt that alarmed the public and endangered her own life and the lives of the (New York Police Department) officers who responded to the scene,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in a statement.
Okoumou, 44, of Staten Island, was expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan later Thursday. If convicted, she would face up to six months behind bars on each count.
The name of her lawyer wasn’t immediately available.
The National Park Service decided to evacuate more than 4,000 visitors from Liberty Island on Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution,” said spokesman Jerry Willis. Average attendance for the Fourth of July is 20,000 to 25,000 people, he added.
A federal official said the woman told police she was protesting the separation of immigrant children from parents who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss it and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The park service was reviewing security videotape to try to determine how the woman made the climb, Willis said. It also was taking a closer look at the statue to see if there was any damage, though that’s unlikely, he said.
The copper-pounded skin is only the thickness of two pennies but “it’s strong,” he said.
“That statue has been out in the middle of New York Harbor for 130 years — with hurricanes and lightning and everything that nature has thrown at her,” he said. “She’s survived quite well.”
What a disgrace ruined the day for thousands of people. I hope she’s send back from where she comes from.
Imagine it’s 1939 and the St. Louis was sailing toward NY harbor and this lady climbed the Statue of Liberty to beseech officials to admit its passengers.
If Obama had a sister
Is she an American citizen if not show her the border
This is the face of the Democrat party, folks! Congrats!
My cleaning lady called in sick today.
That schvartser should be sent back to the Republic of the Congo, where she is from. She must be deported now! What chutzpah! In her own country, they would beat the —- out of her, for engaging in such a publicity stunt.
nut case liberal loonie! they are ruining America.
Make America great? first gatta get rid on the lunatic left extremists…..
To #11 - Hey, Yamsar, you think that most Blacks in the USA, hold Jews in such high esteem? Many polls have shown that Blacks are even more anti-semitic than whites, and are jealous of the economic success, which Jews have experienced in the USA. Jews don’t go around, murdering, robbing, assaulting and raping Blacks, as is the case the other way around. Incidentally, if you think the term “Schvartser” (which means dark in Yiddish, is offensive), have you heard the terms that they call us. They refer to us as “Schwartzes”, “Diamond Merchants”, “Jew boys”, etc. Have you forgotten what Al Sharpton said? Let me remind you; he stated “If those diamond merchants want to get it on with me, I’ll pin their yarmulkes back on their heads”. Even Jesse Jackson referred to Jews as “Hymies”, and NYC, as “Hymietown”. In my own community of Columbus, Ohio, I have seen instances of Black motorists harass frum Yidden walking to Shul on Shabbos, by honking their horns at them, and making obscene gestures. They are no friends of ours, those schvartsers! Case closed.
What is her legal status? is he even here legally?
What has she contributed to society? How many immigrants – legal or not, has she employed and given work to? How much charity does she give to further her cause? How much has the US government already given her in free benefits?
You do something illegal – like crossing the border, you aren’t an American, you don’t have american rights, and benefits. When living in a democratic country, there are legal ways to do things, including protest. She will probably claim that she should not be separated form her mother – the Statue of Liberty.
Firstly she should made to pay for the disruption and loss of earnings to Liberty Island; then pay for the cost of the police crew who rescued her; and then have all her benefits stopped. Then go and prosecute her to the full extent of the law.
Sadly, she will still be supported by the government – sitting in prison for 6 months. A better punishment would be to send her back to The Congo where she came from and deny her entry back to America, then see how well she fares in her own country.
To #15 -Yamsar- The term that you throw around so freely (“racist”), has been used so often, that it has ceased to have any credible meaning. One time, when I was shopping at Walmart, a Black women tried to force her way in front of me, on the check out line, in order to buy some cigarettes. When I objected, she had the gall to refer to me as a “Honky Racist”. When I told her that she would not talk to me in that manner if I was Black, she stated that “I’ll beat you upside your head”. The point that I’m trying to make is that her behavior was truly racist. Yet, society, and especially the liberal news media, and liberals on this site, such as Yamsar, would give that character a free pass. In other words, I’m just supposed to take that garbage. Incidentally, outside in the parking lot, while she was passing me, she threw a dirty tissue at me. Imagine if it was the other way around, and the cops were called? Also, when I returned home from Shul in Brooklyn (the Young Israel of Avenue K) on Shabbos, some of Yamsar’s friends threw water filled balloons at me,which splashed on my suit. What if it was the other way around, and it was done to those model citizens? Any comments, Yamsar??
To #18 -Yamsar- As Bernard Goldberg, formerly of CBS News, and also a former commentator on Fox News pointed out several years ago, the term “Schvartser”, is not a racist comment. It is only liberals such as yourself, who will condemn a fellow Jew, but will remain silent, when other ethnic groups attack Jews.