Statue of Liberty shut for good?

The world-famous New York attraction, the Statue of Liberty, could be close to tourists for ever. The Daily Mail reports today that the famous landmark, which was closed to visitors following the 11 September attacks, could remain closed permanently. The mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, who has reportedly been vigorously campaigning for the statue to re-open, has stated that if it does not open, “the terrorists, in some sense, will have won”. The Mail reports that as many as four million tourists a year climbed up the 354 steps inside the legendary monument to view New York Harbour from the viewing platform some 151 feet up. And though the National Park Service reportedly has plans to reopen the statue’s “pedestal” later this year, there are no plans to allow tourists back inside the “iron goddess”.