WATCH LIVE: Protester Climbs Statue of Liberty, Causing Evacuations and Police Standoff (VIDEO)
A protester has climbed onto the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty and is currently sitting at the statue’s feet, refusing to come down.
This is a developing story, so keep checking this page for updates.
At least one person was trying to scale the Statue of Liberty after a banner reading “Abolish ICE” was unfurled at its base Wednesday afternoon.
A woman was spotted scaling the statue, and had made it to Lady Liberty’s base, US Park Police public information officer Sgt. Dave Somma told NBC 4. The island, crowded with visitors on the July 4th holiday, was evacuated as a precaution.
The woman was seen at various points pacing back and forth on the base of the statue, then lying down and casually kicking her legs. Police officers were watching her from below as they attempted to coax her down. NYPD emergency services and aviation units were assisting U.S. Park Police.
Here are tweets showing some of the protests before the protester started climbing, as well as the woman atop the pedestal.
Rise and Resist, a group that focuses on immigration policy, claimed responsibility for the banner. https://t.co/KXMsyaOMVa
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) July 4, 2018
CBS News has this video clip after she first scaled the pedestal.
WATCH: Woman climbs base of the Statue of Liberty, prompting evacuations on Liberty Island. https://t.co/dfjrDTSHE8 pic.twitter.com/WjmMMRuxzA
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 4, 2018
Watch the situation live here.
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