Liberty Island Evacuated After Someone Tries to Climb Statue of Liberty

by Monica Poling
Last updated: 5:55 PM ET, Wed July 4, 2018

Liberty Island has been evacuated after two separate incidences occurred at the iconic Statue of Liberty in New York City on Independence Day.

The evacuation occurred after a woman was spotted trying to climb the Statue of Liberty around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The woman climbed as high as the statue's mid-section, according to US Park Police public information officer Sgt. Dave Somm, in speaking with NBC 4 News.

DEVELOPING: Woman has scaled base of the Statue of Liberty; visitors being evacuated from the island. https://t.co/QETbOlJIq4pic.twitter.com/qIAsAj5MHK

- ABC News (@ABC) July 4, 2018

Police were called to the scene and the island is being evacuated as a precaution.

Guy climbing statue of liberty @CNN#July4th#FourthofJulypic.twitter.com/bJA5rMexKg

- eric kwasi oppong (@ekojnr) July 4, 2018

#BREAKING Person spotted climbing up Statue of Liberty in NYChttps://t.co/WrUEzYerMspic.twitter.com/wRaqQIkBZR

- ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) July 4, 2018

#BREAKING PHOTO: A woman is attempting to climb the Statue of Liberty as part of a protest to Abolish ICE (@akadennews) pic.twitter.com/rl6MQ7hOpW

- Al Boe BREAKING NEWS (@AlBoeNEWS) July 4, 2018

The incident follows an earlier protest by a group identified as Rise and Resist NYC, who unfurled a banner reading "Abolish I.C.E." at the statue. At least seven people from that incident have been arrested.

On the Rise and Resist NYC Facebook page, the group said it staged the demonstration to demand that President Donald Trump eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and that he "reunite families, halt deportations and end detention as a deterrent."

The group denied any affiliation with the person climbing the statue.

Protesters with @riseandresistny unfurled an "Abolish ICE" banner on the Statue of Liberty https://t.co/dAOsmDugPgpic.twitter.com/f4Dtk2oHLq

- amNewYork (@amNewYork) July 4, 2018

This story is breaking and will be updated as new information emerges.

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