In the News: Statue of Liberty Evacuation

••• “The authorities cleared visitors from the Statue of Liberty on the Fourth of July after a woman protesting the Trump administration’s immigration policies climbed onto its base and refused to come down. About three hours later, police officers followed the woman onto the statue and took her safely into custody.” —New York Times

••• “On June 25, WeWork debuted its retail space WeMrkt in Tribeca, the coworking giant announced. Selling curated products created by WeWork members, WeMrkt’s first location is on the seventh floor at a WeWork location at 205 Hudson Street. […] The retail space at 205 Hudson Street features “many products made by WeWork members, including healthy snacks, office necessities, and branded apparel.'” I wonder the vowels had to get dropped (and I prefer to think of it as WeMeerkat). —Commercial Observer

••• Nova Fitness has yet to open its studio at 249 Church (at Leonard) yet, but that hasn’t stopped it from announcing a second location in Midtown. —Footwear News

••• More thefts in the Tribeca Trib police blotter.

••• Daytonian in Manhattan looks into the history of 321 and 323 Canal, one of which was home to Samuel F. B. Morse.

 

9 Comments

  1. So, the woman who scaled the Statue of Liberty was a personal trainer at Asphalt Green in Battery Park. When I joined last Spring, I signed up for a personal trainer and Therese was matched to me. I found her to have a very aggressive personality- so much so that I requested a different trainer shortly after meeting her.

    • What does that have to do with her protest?

      • Because she was also in trouble with the law in connection with personal training?

        https://nypost.com/2011/08/01/4500-slap-for-hire-fliers/

        “The Department of Sanitation slapped an astounding 60 violations on a Staten Island certified personal trainer for illegally posting ads for her services on Manhattan utility poles.

        “Patricia Okoumou, 37, spent five hours one Sunday in April posting the fliers.

        ”Then, on July 21, she received a package from Sanitation containing the tickets worth a total of $4,500 in fines.

        “’This is ridiculous. How can I pay this?’ Okoumou said.

        “Such postings are illegal, and Sanitation can ticket for each individual violation.”

        • That’s white privilege at it’s finest. Has Dan the Guitar Man ever been arrested?

        • Would that the city would consistently enforce the law against the illicit postings. Parts of the city are just plastered with layers of such ads, mostly for “man with van” and other such “moving companies”. Then there are the countless stickers, of bands, brands, or containing illegible scrawls, which are even harder to remove and clean….We have more than enough advertising in this city.

          (For the record, I’m also all for limiting legal advertising as well, and removing all billboards and oversize ads and signs from the city).

    • I wonder what Patricia would tell the hundreds of families and children that saved their pennies all year to come to the Statue of Liberty on July 4th – only to be turned away due to her protest.

      • “[Okoumou] showed no regret for stomping all over the Independence Day of hundreds of Liberty Island visitors, saying the only reason she would not do it again is because a federal magistrate judge ordered her not to. […]

        “[Okoumou] remained silent, however, when asked about the people who ‘saved their money’ to visit the symbol of freedom on the Fourth of July and were denied entry because of her stunt.

        “‘Hopefully they know that there are people out there like Patricia … trying to protect their civil liberties, which I would have faith that they treasure more than a trip to the Statue of Liberty,’ her lawyer, Rhiya Trivedi, said.”

        https://nypost.com/2018/07/05/activist-who-climbed-statue-of-liberty-not-sorry-for-forcing-evacuation/

    • Kathy, Patricia (as she is called) Okoumou was my fitness trainer at Asphalt Green for almost two years. If by having an « aggressive personality » you mean she had high expectations of her clients— that they keep appointments, try to push themselves just a bit out of their comfort zones each time, that she preferred they make up missed sessions — then yes, I agree. Patricia presented me with many challenges which every once in a while, my pudgy, aged self could meet. She was an inspiring and positive presence in my life.

      As for the littering rap seven years ago, well, she shouldn’t have done it. She emigrated alone, without family or support, and did what she could to make a living. That’s not an excuse. But she’s hardly a career criminal.

      As for inconveniencing people at the Statue of Liberty on the 4th of July— yes, that’s a shame and I feel for them. I imagine people were inconvenienced by the Boston Tea Party too, another act of civil disobedience, a fine old American tradition. Sometimes we are compelled to do what we do in the interest of liberty and justice for all, and we hope that history will look kindly upon us.

  2. Ok so Kathy didn’t like the protestors approach to exercise but she had some Greenpeace balls to scale a bit of ol’ Liberty.

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