NEW YORK — A daredevil Frenchman got stuck on the Statue of Liberty's gilded flame during an attempt to parachute onto the statue's torch and then bungee jump from it.
Thierry Devaux, 41, clung to Lady Liberty's arm for a tense half-hour Thursday before police pulled him to safety and arrested him.
Devaux wore a Statue of Liberty T-shirt and had numerous decals decrying the use of land mines Thursday when his chute was snared on the statue.
The scene left hundreds of tourists, already lined up to climb the 22-story monument, shaking their heads.
"He must have been bloody stupid to do it," said Joanne Gebdes, a tourist from New Zealand whose long-planned trip to the statue's crown was thwarted by the incident. Liberty Island was closed for about three hours during and after the rescue.
Devaux was arraigned on federal charges of trespassing, disorderly conduct and illegal air activity. He was released on $10,000 bail.
His lawyer, Jeremy Orden, indicated that the case may be resolved with "some sort of a plea."
"He views this as artistic expression, as a painter, a writer or any other artist," Orden said. "This, in Thierry's eyes, was the ultimate place to jump from."