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Man arrested for wearing Peace T-shirt in American Mall

bob | 05.03.2003 06:35

In the privatised suburban town centres of America, this is perfectly legal.

Lawyer Arrested for Wearing a 'Peace' T - Shirt
By REUTERS

Filed at 7:56 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A lawyer was arrested late Monday and charged with trespassing at a public mall in the state of New York after refusing to take off a T-shirt advocating peace that he had just purchased at the mall.

According to the criminal complaint filed on Monday, Stephen Downs was wearing a T-shirt bearing the words ``Give Peace A Chance'' that he had just purchased from a vendor inside the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, near Albany.

``I was in the food court with my son when I was confronted by two security guards and ordered to either take off the T-shirt or leave the mall,'' said Downs.

When Downs refused the security officers' orders, police from the town of Guilderland were called and he was arrested and taken away in handcuffs, charged with trespassing ``in that he knowingly enter(ed) or remain(ed) unlawfully upon premises,'' the complaint read.

Downs said police tried to convince him he was wrong in his actions by refusing to remove the T-shirt because the mall ``was like a private house and that I was acting poorly.

``I told them the analogy was not good and I was then hauled off to night court where I was arraigned after pleading not guilty and released on my own recognizance,'' Downs told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Downs is the director of the Albany Office of the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which investigates complaints of misconduct against judges and can admonish, censure or remove judges found to have engaged in misconduct.

Calls to the Guilderland police and district attorney, Anthony Cardona and to officials at the mall were not returned for comment.

Downs is due back in court for a hearing on March 17.

He could face up to a year in prison if convicted.

bob

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Try protesting in Coventry

05.03.2003 10:52

Anyone who thinks that this sort of thing is unique to the U.S. or only affects shopping malls should try protesting in Coventry city centre. The streets there simply aren't public as in other cities.

"Unique Management of the City Centre: When Coventry City Council established the public/private sector partnership which was to become the City Centre Company, in 1997 the outside world watched with great interest. The City Centre Company aims to enhance the quality of life for all who live, work, shop or simply visit Coventry City Centre."

 http://www.coventry.towntalk.co.uk/about.shtml

Brave New Labour loves this since it is a step towards the Brave New Britain they crave.

 http://www.urban.odpm.gov.uk/whitepaper/uei/annex_28.htm

Lady Godiva


Milton Keynes

06.03.2003 00:43

Wow. I thought Milton Keynes was bad - there is no high street shopping here, just privately owned shopping centres. Don't believe anyone that thinks Milton Keynes is a city because it is NOT a city. Actually it is a big shopping centre with a large car park (covers most of MK) and multiple roundabouts.

Brian B