[Update below.] Liberty Island and the Statue Of Liberty are currently being evacuated following unconfirmed reports of a ‘suspicious package.’ A National Parks Service spokesperson confirmed that they were doing security sweeps and that there is an evacuation happening, but could not immediately say why.
Confused people on the island have started tweeting about what’s happening.
According to a CNN reporter, the suspicious package was inside a locker at the Statue Of Liberty. Another reporter Tweeted, “Telephone bomb threat called into the Statue of Liberty around Noon. NYPD Bomb Squad on scene. Threat mentioned a package inside a locker.”
Officials had no other immediate information available.
Update 1:30 p.m.: The U.S. Park Police released a statement, “United States Park Police and New York Police Department are working to confirm a report of a suspicious package – Liberty Island has been evacuated as a precaution.”
Update 2:17 p.m.: The National Parks Service did a security sweep of Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty after authorities received a bomb threat at 11:30am. An evacuation of the island was enforced. The caller tipped off police to a suspicious package in a visitor locker, which was found by a bomb sniffing canine. Ellis Island is also being evacuated. An “all clear” has been issued.
{Gothamist, Matzav.com}
They never allow the local citizens to go there anymore, anyway.