So, are malls now in the business of censoring people's
views about the potential war with Iraq? I thought it was
the business of malls to sell goods and services, not
advance a political agenda.
- Wilmot
On Wed, 5 Mar 2003 14:35:31 CST
Aggo Akyea <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Group Protests N.Y. Peace T-Shirt Arrest
>
>By DAMITA CHAMBERS, Associated Press Writer
>
>ALBANY, N.Y. - About 100 people descended upon a suburban
>mall Wednesday to protest the arrest of a man who wore a
>peace T-shirt while he shopped. No arrests were reported.
>
>The group marched through Crossgates Mall at noon. At one
>point, there was a confrontation between one of the
>marchers and a man carrying a sign that read "9-11."
>
>Stephen Downs, 61, 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 Downs, 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
>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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