Opposed to Trump's anti-immigrant policy, a woman climbs the Statue of Liberty

New York – An anti-Trump activist was charged on Thursday and released after climbing the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty the day before to protest Washington's migration policy.
  

The woman, identified by police as Therese Okoumou, a naturalized American woman living on Staten Island, a New York island near the Statue of Liberty, was charged with three counts, including a violation of private property and public disorder, according to a statement from the Manhattan federal prosecutor. Each offense is punishable by six months in prison.

Accompanied by pro-migrant activists, Ms. Okoumou, 44, pleaded not guilty to a judge before being released, the offenses of which she is accused being considered minor, said a spokesman for the prosecutor. She must return to court on August 3rd.

On Wednesday, she managed to climb the pedestal of the statue, forcing National Park Service officials to evacuate Liberty Island, the island where the monument is, traditionally frequented by thousands of visitors on US National Day. .

Ms. Okoumou " frightened the public and endangered her own life and that of the police dispatched to the scene.If we respect the right of people to demonstrate peacefully, it does not go so far as to violate the law. putting others at risk "said federal prosecutor Geoffrey Berman, quoted in the statement.

Ms. Okoumou refused to go down for nearly four hours, forcing her to pick her up with ropes, as shown by helicopter images broadcast on local television stations.

The pedestal of the statue is 46 meters high, and the torch rises to almost 93 meters.

Wearing a T-shirt of the Anti-Trump Organization " Rise and Resist " (stand up and resist), she first told the police that she would only come down when migrant parents arrested at the Mexican-American border found their children.

More than 2,300 minors were separated from their parents in a few weeks when President Donald Trump decided to apply a " zero tolerance " policy on illegal immigration.

After a heated debate, he backtracked in June but the parents / children reunion are slow to materialize.

The operator Statue Cruises, which carries tourists on Liberty Island, said Wednesday that more than 2,000 people were unable to visit the island because of the incident.

The climb coincided with a protest by Rise and Resist. After initially stating that Ms. Okoumou's act had nothing to do with the protest, the organization then issued a statement of support to Ms. Okoumou.

Many migrant defenders, including Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King, also praised his " courage " on social media, under the hashtag #ThereseOkoumou.

According to The Daily News, citing other demonstrators, Ms. Okoumou is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and regularly participates in the protests.

The prosecutor's office has not confirmed Ms. Okoumou's Congolese origins.

At least six other people were also arrested Wednesday for displaying a banner on the lower part of Lady Liberty's pedestal, calling for " Abolish ICE ," US border police.

They are subject to fines, according to the spokesman of the prosecutor.