My town doesn't like free speech :(

[KevinTheOmnivore]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA39NERWCD.html

Mar 4, 2003

Man Charged With Trespassing After Refusing to Remove Pro-Peace Shirt in Mall

By Damita Chambers
Associated Press Writer

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A man was charged with trespassing in a mall after he refused to take off a T-shirt that said "Peace on Earth" and "Give peace a chance."
Mall security approached Stephen Downs, 61, and his 31-year-old son, Roger, on Monday night after they were spotted wearing the T-shirts at Crossgates Mall in a suburb of Albany, the men said.

The two said they were asked to remove the shirts made at a store there, or leave the mall. They refused.

The guards returned with a police officer who repeated the ultimatum. The son took his T-shirt off, but the father refused.

"'I said, 'All right then, arrest me if you have to,'" Downs said. "So that's what they did. They put the handcuffs on and took me away."

Downs pleaded innocent to the charges Monday night. The New York Civil Liberties Union said it would help with his case if asked.

Police Chief James Murley said his officers were just responding to a complaint by mall security.

"We don't care what they have on their shirts, but they were asked to leave the property, and it's private property," Murley said.

A mall spokeswoman did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.

Monday's arrest came less than three months after about 20 peace activists wearing similar T-shirts were told to leave by mall security and police. There were no arrests.
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AP-ES-03-04-03 2253EST

[Anonymous]

Crossgates Mall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zebra 3]

This isn't the first or last time that someone's been harassed by mall cops.

[FS]

Blasted peace activists! How much more suffering and havoc must they wreak before they realize what they're doing?

[Carnivore]

They're lucky. In Texas, they'd be shot on sight for that.

[ranxer]

oh man, go back to bed america

what a country

[sspadowsky]

Fire the rent-a-cops as well as the cop who made the arrest. This is such a cut-and-dried case of 1st Amendment rights violations, I can't even believe the cop made the arrest.
________
SHEMALE PORN

[ranxer]

its a sign of the end times

oh i so wish there Was a god sometimes 8)

[Protoclown]

Originally Posted by sspadowsky

Fire the rent-a-cops as well as the cop who made the arrest. This is such a cut-and-dried case of 1st Amendment rights violations, I can't even believe the cop made the arrest.

Yeah, just you keep up THAT kind of talk, mister, and they'll be visiting YOU next!

[Protoclown]

Looks like the guy is a lawyer according to this!

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast...eut/index.html

[BombsBurstingInAir]

I bet it was the "peace on earth" that did it. It has a slight Christian overtone to it, and that offended someone.

[punkgrrrlie10]

Fire the rent-a-cops as well as the cop who made the arrest. This is such a cut-and-dried case of 1st Amendment rights violations, I can't even believe the cop made the arrest

Actually it depends. The only cases they've discussed this issue was based on state law b/c state law defines what is public and private property. You can't actually go into someone's house and claim 1st amendment protection, b/c that would be trespass. Some states regard malls as private property, others regard it as public b/c it is open to the public. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[Carnivore]

If he is convicted, it will be an absolute travesty. This is fucking infuriating. It beautifully illustrates the depravity of our current administration. I've always believed that the Constitution would eventually prevail and this shit would all be a phase, but if this man is sent to prison for wearing a shirt advocating peace, I don't quite know what I'll do. My faith may be entirely shattered.

[starz]

does the mall police actually go through the police academy, and are just the rejects of the class ? Or do they even need to go to the police academy...

just wondering

[El Blanco]

Its not the shirts they were wearing that caused the problems, its the pants they weren't wearing.

Anyway, if it private property, they can be told to leave. But, no judge in the country is gonna keep this case going. If it even makes trial, it will get tossed.

And since when are the actions of a bunch of high school drop out rent-a-cops typical of what the rest of the country is doing? Like this is causing a police state.

[punkgrrrlie10]

but if this man is sent to prison for wearing a shirt advocating peace, I don't quite know what I'll do. My faith may be entirely shattered.

He most likely won't be sent to jail. That would be a violation of the 8th amendment of excessive punishment. He might get a fine that will probably be dismissed. It's more like, one of those test cases that establishes boundaries of what people can and can't do.

Not only that, but if he loses, which he most likely won't, that doesn't effect public rights to free speech.

[El Blanco]

I noticed something. We know what t-shirts they were wearing, but it mentions nothing of if they were doing anything more.

And what happened at that protest prior to that? Maybe mall security regocnized them and they happened to be blacklisted.

[punkgrrrlie10]

From what was mentioned in my con. law class today, they were eating at the food court.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

It was a man and his daughter, and yes, they were eating in the food court.

On Trespassing: THEY BOUGHT THE SHIRTS IN THE MALL!! This is an outrage....

I used to work in that crappy fucking mal. I'm ashamed.

When I go back to Albany on Sunday I might go bu the shirt and try it out, fuckin' fascists.

[punkgrrrlie10]

I heard they made the shirts themselves; that they didn't buy them at the mall.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

That isn't what has been reported, but I could be wrong. :/

[punkgrrrlie10]

so could I

[ranxer]

i think that mall is going to find a lot of funny shirts around all of a sudden

he's not going to get a fine ..probly, the mall is going to settle quick.. a couple people may lose thier jobs because of the unwanted attention.. :/ oops wish we had it on camera

[GAsux]

Everyone knows that mall cops are nothing more than government stooges. They were probably just enforcing the anti-Old Navy clause of the Patriot Act.

[Protoclown]

I'm just wondering how this is going to affect my plans to spend the weekend camping in front of the White House with my "BUSH IS THE TERRORIST" t-shirt on.