The Congolese national who climbed the Statue of Liberty to protest President Trump’s immigration policies on the Fourth of July began shouting several anti-American phrases outside a Manhattan courthouse Friday, according to a video of the incident.
Therese Okoumou, 44, who faces charges of misdemeanor trespassing, interference with a government agency, and disorderly conduct for scaling Lady Liberty out of protest, appeared outside the Manhattan courthouse Friday shouting anti-American epithets in front of a crowd of supporters, the New York Post reported.
“America, you motherfuckers! You drug addicts! You KKK! You fascist USA,” she said, according to the video.
Okoumou was wearing a green dress with the words, “I really care, why won’t u?” in a reference to First Lady Melania Trump’s “I really don’t care, do you?” jacket.
The first lady wore the green parka jacket in June when she was on her way to visit the U.S.-Mexico border, and President Trump remarked that the jacket meant to send a message to the “fake news media” that she does not care what they think.
The Congolese national appeared in court Friday with her lawyer to push for a guarantee that the judge will not throw her in jail before she agrees to a plea deal.
The Manhattan federal judge said he would decide whether Okoumou should be jailed before sentencing after both sides submit their written motions.
“If I can receive an assurance from the court that my client would not go to jail,” Okoumou’s attorney said, adding that his client would take a plea deal if the conditions are met.
Okoumou began her anti-American chants as soon as she left the courthouse.
Okoumou, who came to the United States in 1994 from the Democratic Republic of Congo, pleaded not guilty to the charges against her in early July before a judge released her on her own recognizance. If convicted of the charges, Okoumou could face up to a year and a half behind bars.
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