Statue of Liberty torch may go dark amid US government shutdown

The lights of the Statue of Liberty in New York could be switched off due to the government shutdown.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said her state would not cover the costs of maintaining the monument during the shutdown, Caliber.Az reports, citing The New York Times.

The governor warned that the torch of the statue “could literally go out.”

The Statue of Liberty, inaugurated in 1886, is one of the most recognisable symbols of freedom and democracy in the United States.

During previous U.S. government shutdowns, states or private organisations have sometimes stepped in to fund operations at national monuments and parks to avoid closures.

In the 2018–2019 shutdown, New York State allocated emergency funds to keep the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open for visitors.

By Khagan Isayev