Activist who climbed Statue of Liberty in 4th of July protest found guilty
Therese Okoumou, the activist who scaled the base of the Statue of Liberty on the Fourth of July, was found guilty on Monday of misdemeanor charges of trespassing, interference with an agency's function, and disorderly conduct.
Okoumou said she was protesting the separation of families at the southern border, and wanted to "send a strong statement that children do not belong in cages." U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein said motivation aside, what Okoumou did was against the law, and if he didn't find her guilty it would "violate the oath of my office."
Okoumou was born in Congo and is a naturalized U.S. citizen living on Staten Island. While leaving the courthouse, she said she is standing "on the right side of history. I am not a bit discouraged today." Her sentencing is scheduled for March 5, and she could receive up to 18 months in prison.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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