Aftermath of 9/11

Aftermath of 9/11

Liberty Island closed on September 11, 2001; the island reopened in December, the monument reopened on August 3, 2004, and the crown and interior finally reopened on July 4, 2009. The National Park Service claimed that the statue was not shut after 9/11 because of a terrorist threat, but principally because of a long list of fire regulation contraventions, including inadequate evacuation procedures.

The Statue of Liberty had previously been threatened by terrorism, according to the FBI. On February 18, 1965, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced it had uncovered a plot by three terrorists from the "Black Liberation Front", who allegedly were connected to Cuba, and a female co-conspirator from Montreal connected with the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), seeking independence for Quebec from Canada, who were sent to destroy the statue and at least two other national monuments—the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C..^[77]

In June 2006, a bill, S. 3597, was proposed in Senate which, if approved, would have re-opened the crown and interior of the Statue of Liberty to visitors.^[78] In July 2007, a similar measure was proposed in the House of Representatives.^[79]

On August 9, 2006, National Park Service Director Fran P. Mainella, in a letter to Congressman Anthony D. Weiner of New York stated that the crown and interior of the statue would remain closed indefinitely. The letter stated that "the current access patterns reflect a responsible management strategy in the best interests of all our visitors."^[80] The Park Service was criticised for delays in re-opening the base and pedestal, as well as for relying on private donations to implement the necessary safety and security measures.^[81]

On July 4, 2009, the Statue of Liberty's crown was re-opened for the first time since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.^[82]

The statue (excluding the torch), museum, and ten-story pedestal are open for visitors, but are only accessible if visitors have a "Monument Access Pass" which is a reservation that visitors must make in advance of their visit and pick up before boarding the ferry. Visitors to Liberty Island and the Statue are subject to restrictions, including personal searches similar to the security found in airports. There are a maximum of 3,000 passes available each day (with a total of 15,000 visitors to the island daily). The ladder to the torch still is closed and has been since 1916.