On the Fourth of July, in a political statement seen across the world, Patricia Okoumou scaled the base of the Statue Of Liberty. Okoumou said she scaled the statue to protest against Donald Trump’s immigration policies, but the dangerous act of protest ended with her arrest, and she was charged with disorderly conduct, trespassing and interference with government agency functions.
Okoumou is now facing up to 18 months in jail, and on Monday, a New York judge denied Okoumou a jury trial. According to Mic, Okoumou’s fate will be left in the hands of a judge during her trial that’s set to start on December 17 in New York City.
Okoumou’s act of resistance not only propelled her to viral status, but it also allowed her to shed light on her activism work she’s done with Rise and Resist. During last week’s Black Women March, Okoumou spoke about the attention she’s received.
“I appreciate people being so passionate and excited about my act which opened up the eyes of those who may have been sitting on the coach comfortable with the American dream or being a little selfish,” Okoumou told Mic.
When Okoumou’s trial starts, she’s requesting people to come out in full force to protest Trump’s immigration policies.
“I’m here to say enough and don’t use immigration as a tool [and] as an excuse to say these are criminals and to take children from the arms of their mothers,” Okoumou said. “How insane is that? I am outraged.”
