Police Arrest Anti-War Protester, 80, At Mall
An 80-year-old church deacon was removed from the Smith Haven Mall yesterday in a wheelchair and arrested by police for refusing to remove a T-shirt protesting the Iraq War.
Police said that Don Zirkel, of Bethpage, was disturbing shoppers at the Lake Grove mall with his T-shirt, which had what they described as "graphic anti-war images." Zirkel, a deacon at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Wyandanch, said his shirt had the death tolls of American military personnel and Iraqis - 4,000 and 1 million - and the words "Dead" and "Enough." The shirt also has three blotches resembling blood splatters.
Police said in a release last night that Zirkel was handing out anti-war pamphlets to mallgoers and that mall security told him to stop and turn his shirt inside out. Zirkel refused to turn his shirt inside out and wouldn't leave, police said. Security placed him on "civilian arrest" and called police. When police arrived, Zirkel passively resisted attempts to bring him to a police car, the release said.
But Zirkel said he was sitting in the food court drinking coffee with his wife Marie, 77, and several others when police and mall security officers approached and demanded they remove their anti-war T-shirts.
The others complied, but Zirkel said he refused, and when he wouldn't stand up to be removed and arrested, authorities brought over a wheelchair. "They forcibly picked me up and put me in the wheelchair," said Zirkel, a deacon at one of the poorest Catholic parishes on Long Island, where a devastating fire recently destroyed the rectory and storage areas.
Zirkel was charged with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. He was released on bail. A spokeswoman for mall owner Simon Property Group did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Generally speaking, a mall has the right to control what happens on its property, said John McEntee, a Uniondale commercial litigation lawyer.
Activists with dueling opinions had gathered to support and oppose America's five-year campaign.
As Zirkel was being wheeled to the police car, the crowd chanted "We shall not be moved!" Moments later, they moved; police and mall security had ordered them off the property. Many joined a larger anti-war crowd assembled by the mall's entrance, off mall property, on Veterans Memorial Highway.
They were complemented nearby by protesters saying the Iraq war is vital for security.
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/30/7974
Another Thread
On another thread I brought up once a week we should boycot WALMART..KMART and other big name stores and instead go to the local stores in our towns and support the small businesses..And as we leave the stores..be sure to tell them..you have just been visited by the REVOLUTION....Well you know..after reading about the 80 y/o man...I think we need to dig out those white arm bands...or white shoe polish cleans easy off car windows...the back window write END THE FED...or..REVOLUTION....or..well..you get the idea...Dig out those Ron Paul..or who ever you supported (but dear God not Obama and Mccain) t-shirts/sweat shirts..each time you go into the local store..make sure you are seen...but still..we need 1 day...1 day each week we stay the hell out of Wally World....I think the first day we should pick...The biggest shopping day of the year...The day after Thanksgiving
Freedom is another way to God...A corrupt government is a straight way to hell.
I believe in Hope & Change..I Hope the government will Change
Spindale-Rutherford County-North Carolina
DAMN CONSTITUTION HUGGERS!
Digg these PIGGS: http://digg.com/politics/Police_Arrest_Anti_War_Protester_80
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"An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it. Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self sustained." -Mahatma Gandhi
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"...a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people." -John F. Kennedy
This is just the beginniing
of what is about to become ugly in this country. The America that we all grew up with disappeared about 5 years ago when the number of people paid by the government (welfare , employees, subsidized) went to 54%.
That is about the time this craziness REALLY started. Now that number is at 56% and it is going to get wild.
For everyone that works for a government check....We, the american CITIZENS, are going to start taking down your names and addresses and we are going to have our MASSES come visit YOU!!!
The audacity of a cop or judge, or for gods' sake..a freakin "security guard"..arresting a person for wearing a tshirt and then going home and believing they are teaching their children what is right!!!!
The cops have gotten so out of hand they should all just go work for Blackwater...oopps, maybe they are!! It is amazing how full the jails are getting with "disorderly counduct" prisoners. And, BTW, that can be thrown at you now just for calling some ego-headed, steriod brained, bullied in high school cop, an asshole. Try telling a cop or judge THEY are the reason for alot of this mess and you will be tasered and pepper sprayed, cuffed and jailed, quicker than most of us can have sex.
What is so sad is that they don't see they are the root of the problem. It's all about self preservation and "I'm just doing my job".
Well, my JOB..no..my DUTY, as an american citizen is to do everything in my power to overthrow a government that has become so corrupt that they don't abide by the words of the Constitution and it's Amendments.
We all know that was thrown out about the 1rst day of the Busch administration!!!
Good luck to all as america gets wiped off the world map.
crazyrustyforpresident
crazyrustyforpresident
what happened to freedom of speech??
"Time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their country"
"Time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their country"