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Woman climbs Statue of Liberty in Fourth of July protest Woman climbs Statue of Liberty in Fourth of July protest
(about 1 hour later)
Police have captured a woman who climbed the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in an apparent Fourth of July protest against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.Police have captured a woman who climbed the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in an apparent Fourth of July protest against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
It took authorities more than two hours to reach the woman and apprehend her as she huddled at the base of the monument. Members of the park police wore harnesses as they guided the protester off the statue’s pedestal. It took authorities about four hours to reach the woman and apprehend her as she huddled at the base of the monument. Members of the park police wore harnesses as they guided the protester off the pedestal.
Visitors were evacuated from Liberty Island during the standoff on Wednesday afternoon. Jerry Willis, the National Park Service spokesman, said park police had negotiated with the protester at the top of the base, advising the climber to come down.Visitors were evacuated from Liberty Island during the standoff on Wednesday afternoon. Jerry Willis, the National Park Service spokesman, said park police had negotiated with the protester at the top of the base, advising the climber to come down.
After following the woman around the base of the statue, when at one point she attempted to climb up the green metal structure itself but was not able to, a member of the park police moved swiftly and grabbed her round the waist, holding her down until she appeared to allow a harness to be slung around her waist. The protester then followed two officers, with the three roped together, to ladders placed by police. She climbed down about 25 feet to the statue’s observation point.
At least six protesters were arrested at the monument earlier in the day after hanging a banner from the pedestal emblazoned with a message about abolishing Ice, the US immigration enforcement agency.At least six protesters were arrested at the monument earlier in the day after hanging a banner from the pedestal emblazoned with a message about abolishing Ice, the US immigration enforcement agency.
Activists with the group Rise and Resist said they hung the banner to protest the Trump administration and its “zero tolerance” immigration policy which has caused families to be separated at the border and the adults arrested. Activists with the group Rise and Resist said they had hung the banner to protest against the Trump administration and its “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which has caused families to be separated at the border.
The protester appeared to be wearing a Rise and Resist t-shirt, but the group said their action was not part of the the earlier demonstration. The protester appeared to be wearing a Rise and Resist T-shirt. The group initially said her action was not part of the earlier demonstration but later said the climber had been involved in that demonstration but her climb wasn’t part of the group’s plan.
Officers could be seen propping ladders against the concrete pedestal at the base of the copper statue. One police officer ascended to the top rung, a few feet from where the protester, was sitting. The protester earlier took a bottle of water offered by the police and appeared to be speaking to them, before taking off her T-shirt and displaying it.
The protester took a bottle of water offered by the officer and appeared to engage in some dialogue, before taking off her T-shirt and displaying it.
Rise and Resist planned a banner drop today at the Statue of Liberty. This action did not include the climber on the statue. Our action was completed earlier. While it was not part of our action, our first priority and concern is for the safety of the climber.Rise and Resist planned a banner drop today at the Statue of Liberty. This action did not include the climber on the statue. Our action was completed earlier. While it was not part of our action, our first priority and concern is for the safety of the climber.
After about an hour balancing at the base of the statue, the protester moved further around the lower edge of the structure, away from the officers, and reclined against the copper edifice. After about an hour balancing at the base of the statue, she moved further around the lower edge of the structure, away from the officers, and reclined against the copper edifice.
The New York police department hostage negotiators were reported to beassisting the police assigned from the National Park Service, which administers the island.The New York police department hostage negotiators were reported to beassisting the police assigned from the National Park Service, which administers the island.
Willis said at least six other people were taken into custody on Wednesday after unfurling a banner at the statue, which said “Abolish ICE”. Federal regulations prohibit hanging banners from the monument. Willis said at least six other people had been taken into custody on Wednesday after unfurling a banner at the statue, which said “Abolish ICE”. Federal regulations prohibit hanging banners from the monument.
ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a division of the Department of Homeland Security whose officers arrest and deport unauthorized immigrants inside the US, among other duties. Ice, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a division of the Department of Homeland Security whose officers arrest and deport unauthorized immigrants inside the US, among other duties.
Unidentified climber scales the Statue of Liberty as part of an apparent protest against @ICEgov https://t.co/l9CtEdBYU8 pic.twitter.com/P1OdGXG5ckUnidentified climber scales the Statue of Liberty as part of an apparent protest against @ICEgov https://t.co/l9CtEdBYU8 pic.twitter.com/P1OdGXG5ck
The Statue of Liberty is located on a tiny island out in the New York Harbor, near the southern tip of Manhattan. The landmark has stood since the late 19th century as a welcoming symbol to immigrants arriving in the USA, who would typically sail past it before landing at the immigration processing center on adjacent Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty is located on a tiny island in the New York Harbor, near the southern tip of Manhattan. The landmark has stood since the late 19th century as a welcoming symbol to immigrants arriving in the US, who would typically sail past it before landing at the immigration processing center on adjacent Ellis Island.
The US attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has said Donald Trump’s immigration policy is a step forward for public safety.The US attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has said Donald Trump’s immigration policy is a step forward for public safety.
More to follow... The statue has been a rallying point for anti-war and pro-immigration demonstrations in the past – usually for those gathering at the tip of Manhattan within sight of the iconic torch held aloft.
But Liberty has also attracted protests against her very existence. Suffragettes protested against the original unveiling of the statue in 1886 because it was a female figure of freedom, while women did not have the right to vote. Protests related to the suffrage movement then became a regular Independence Day event.
Last summer the senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller sparked a furore over the president’s stated intention to try to move legal immigration to a “merit-based system”, when Miller questioned the relevance of the poem by Emma Lazarus inscribed at the base of the statue, which includes the celebrated welcoming lines: “Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
The Guardian then asked 21 poets to reimagine the poem as Trump would like to see it, which ended up including lines such as: “America, the door is closed now.”
New YorkNew York
US immigrationUS immigration
ProtestProtest
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