Oh come on, I know you Americans are mad, but come on.

Freedom speech my arse...


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 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.




That is just plain wrong, one year for something so little? Give me a break.

Who wears shirts like that?

He deserves two years. I\'m tired of this anti-war bull crap. Grow a backbone and keep your hippy idealistic views to yourself.

[§ôµÏG®ïñD]

a year for wearing a shirt that promotes peace.. Oh my god. That\'s just sad. Next you\'ll go to prison for helping a old lady across the street. I can see it now, prisons full of good people.

"dood, what are u in for?"   "wearing a peace shirt" buhahaha.

well the cops aren\'t the ones to blame, the law is what it is, and if the mall wanted to press charges, they are in their legal rights.  The mall is a privatly funded building, thus it can discriminate against whoever it wants to, and if someone cares to be on the property without permission, then they are trespasing.

However, the Mall people are wittless fools.

Originally posted by Vapor Snake
Who wears shirts like that?

He deserves two years. I\'m tired of this anti-war bull crap. Grow a backbone and keep your hippy idealistic views to yourself.

[warmonger mode]
Blah blah blah.. people like tht should have their mouths sown-up blah blah blah
[/warmonger mode] :rolleyes:

Vapor... has anyone ever said to you that the moment we lose our freedoms we Lose the war on terror.

Pfft we would be as well as just convert to a Hardline Islamic State if we are going to behave like that.

oh and for those people who would argue with me.. plase go away and Read 1984...

BIG BROTHER STARTS HERE

[Kurt Angle]

Would he be okay to wear a "Kill Saddam" T-shirt instead?

[§ôµÏG®ïñD]

yea sure, with a nice red target on he\'s forehead..  Hell i\'ll wear it.

It\'s PRIVATE PROPERTY! That being said, I think it\'s a foolish move on the part of the mall cops and it\'s lot to do about nothing.

One thing to remember, I think I heard that the week before there was an organized protest for "peace" in that mall. That would be disrupting to the shoppers and store owners. That might have something to do with the actions of the mall cops.

Big Brother? Is a set of laws considered big brother?

Ace

he should have been arrested for being a moron

what kind of asshole still wears t-shirts with slogans on them when they get that old?

Originally posted by Ace
It\'s PRIVATE PROPERTY! That being said, I think it\'s a foolish move on the part of the mall cops and it\'s lot to do about nothing.

or it could be the first step in the slipery road to a full on police state.. were the right of the indeviduals are deamed to be to costly in the fight for terror..war...political ideal..etc..

anyway i am glad that i live in Scotland as there is no such thing as "Private Land" there are private propeties i.e. houses but anything deamed to be in the public domain remains so which included Mall\'s etc..etc..etc....

The Cops in Scotland could ask you to remove or cover a item of clothing if it caused offence (i.e. printed images of Nudity or sex and what not).But on the most part they would see it as somthing not bothering about.

But you perfectly legal to walk around a shopping center with a "Give Peace a chance" T-shirt, in fact in light of the current view on the war you will be supported by the Vast majority of Shoppers !

[CHIZZY]

While I disagree with the stupid mall\'s initial move- harassing a customer for wearing a stupid shirt... When you are asked to leave a privately owned property by agents of the owners and you refuse to leave, that is trespassing. If he had no shirt on, they would have asked him to leave too. It\'s the owner of the mall\'s right. (however asinine it may be to drive out paying customers...) Typical lawyer move to turn this into a free-speech issue conjuring up images of "big brother"...

Fact 1: the initial harassers were hired security guards, not police.
fact 2: if I don\'t want you on my property FOR ANY REASON, I can call the police to remove you if you refuse to leave.
fact3: this case will probably just get thrown out anyway.

Stupid lawyers.

No way in the world this guy will get convicted of anything. The guards were just being power trippy dickheads IMO. When it comes down to it, I hope the guards lose their jobs.

Hell..I\'ll take it one step further in hoping they not only lose thier jobs, but not be able to find another job anytime soon and have to endure some finanncial hardship.

What if the owner or owners of the mall put word out to the security company to do this if they see possible protesters gathering?

Ace

I wouldnt constitute one man with his son a gathering of protesters. Even if he was going to protest, they really still need to wait untill he actually starts dispruting the mall.

As I said before, I think I heard that there was a protest the week before in that mall. I could be wrong but I\'ll check.

Ace