wabc's jim dolan with the latest. >> reporter: he ended with officers risking their lives to finally capture 44-year-old theresa patricia okoumou of staten island resting under the raised right sandal of the statue of liberty. okoumou put up a brief struggle but at times she cooperated enough that she climbed down the ladder she had early threatened to push over. >> definitely dangerous but that's why we take our time. in the beginning she threatened to push us off, push the ladder off, but, you know, we were persistent. >> reporter: this how it began a protest by a left wing fringe group called rise and resist. when it was over one from the group climbed on top of the pedestal. immediately evacuated the island. a couple of thousand tourists from around the world, most people assumed the protester was a man. >> our vacation was ruined. that man ruined our vacation. >> reporter: for nearly three hours the woman played a cat and mouse game with esu officers, talking with them and not talking at one point holding up a t-shirt with two different political messages, one about immigration

jim dolan has the latest. >> reporter: it ended with officers risking their lives to finely capture therese struggle and then she climbed down the ladder she earlier threatened to push over. >> in the beginning, she basically threatened to push us off, push the ladder off. but we were persistent. >> reporter: this is how it began, a protest on liberty island by rise and resist.omro f the deal>>t aware she was going to take this action. >> reporter: police didn't know what her agenda was or if she was a threat, in some way dangerous. >> all the way to the left! >> reporter: they immediately evacuated the island, a couple thousand tourists from around the world, some of whom had saved for months to visit the statue of liberty on the fourth of july. most assumed the protester was a man. >> our vacation was ruined! that man ruined our vacation. >> that was a man hanging out on the statue of liberty. and police came, there were helicopters. so they said it was a security issue, so we had to stay on the boat. >> reporter: for nearly three hours, the woman played a cat and mouse game with the offi