Senator Charles Schumer today announced new legislation that will make it a federal crime to trespass on critical infrastructure like New York City bridges, the World Trade Center or the Statute of Liberty with intent to commit a crime.

The bill would increase the maximum penalty for trespassing on these structures from less than a year to five years in jail.

Schumer pointed to the fact that New York City is a top terror target, and the recent incidents of trespassing on critical infrastructure including, when two white flags were placed atop the Brooklyn Bridge, a Pro-Palestinian flag was flung from the Manhattan Bridge and a foreign tourist took a joy-walk along the supports of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Schumer said that the NYPD has done great work in pursuing these recent cases, but it is clear that a federal law is needed to better deter this behavior and to increase available punishments.

He added that this legislation would send a message to wrong-doers and pranksters alike, that trespassing on our bridges, in our tunnels and elsewhere in New York City and across the state is taken extremely seriously, and would help better protect city residents, commuters and first-responders that must handle such incidences.

“Bridges in Manhattan connect one of the country’s top terror targets with the rest of the tri-state area and with the most recent set of security breaches on these spans, plus at the World Trade Center, it’s clear that more must be done to protect our city, first responders and the tens of thousands of daily commuters that pass through each day,” said Schumer. “With terror threats at a high, it must be made loud and clear to any would-be trespassers, adrenaline junkies or potential criminals that the federal government and the NYPD take trespassing on critical infrastructure and national monuments very seriously; a law that makes this a federal crime and raises the current maximum jail time from one to five years would help deter this behavior, and provide the NYPD with stronger tools to combat this disturbing trend.”

Schumer went on to say that regardless of a trespasser's intention, this dangerous behavior puts the individual, tens of thousands of commuters, tourists and first responders like the NYPD at serious risk.  Schumer's legislation would state that anyone who willfully trespasses or enters upon any critical infrastructure used in interstate commerce will be committing a federal crime and fined and/or imprisoned for up to five years.

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