March 6, 2003 - Herald Star: India RPCV Stephen Downs arrested in mall for wearing antiwar t-shirt
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March 6, 2003 - Herald Star: India RPCV Stephen Downs arrested in mall for wearing antiwar t-shirt
India RPCV Stephen Downs arrested in mall for wearing antiwar t-shirt
Read and comment on this story from the Herald Star on 61-year old India RPCV Stephen Downs who was arrested for wearing antiwar t-shirt that read "Peace on Earth." On Monday, Stephen Downs, 61, and his son were asked by mall security guards to remove their peace-slogan shirts or leave. Downs' 31-year-old son, Roger, took off his shirt. But Downs, a lawyer with the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and a former Peace Corps volunteer, refused. The guards called police, and he was charged with trespassing and pleaded not guilty. Read the story and leave your comments on this outrageous behavior at:
Man arrested for wearing T-shirt*
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
Man arrested for wearing T-shirt
06mar03
ABOUT 100 anti-war demonstrators marched through a US mall to protest against the arrest of a shopper who wore a T-shirt that read "Peace on Earth" and "Give Peace a Chance".
On Monday, Stephen Downs, 61, and his son were asked by mall security guards to remove their peace-slogan shirts or leave.
Downs' 31-year-old son, Roger, took off his shirt. But Downs, a lawyer with the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and a former Peace Corps volunteer, refused.
The guards called police, and he was charged with trespassing and pleaded not guilty.
"We just want to know what the policy is and why it's being randomly enforced," said Erin O'Brien, an organiser of the rally at the Crossgates Mall in suburban Albany.
"It's only the people in the recent months who have anti-war or peace T-shirts that are being asked to leave the mall."
Police Chief James Murley said: "We don't care what they have on their shirts, but they were asked to leave the property, and it's private property."
The men had had the T-shirts made at a mall store and wore them while they shopped.
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - India; Speaking Out; Iraq
PCOL3384
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By Terry Adcock, Colombia 61-63 on Saturday, March 08, 2003 - 3:27 am: Edit Post |
That is really a good looking T-shirt! I am looking for one like it. It sums up how I feel better than a thousand words.
Actually you can buy this t-shirt here on the web.
Admin1
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By Terry Adcock Colombia 61-63 on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 7:56 pm: Edit Post |
Thanks. And thanks to Google, I found the site also and already have TWO of the t-shirts!
I have one of the t-shirts ready to be worn Sunday night (March 16 -- 7:00PM) for the Global Vigal for Peace: http://www.moveon.org/vigil/index.html
So far, 3953 vigils have been scheduled in 110 countries. Beginning in New Zealand, there will be a rolling wave of candlelight gatherings that will quickly cross the globe.
I hope the readers of this message will take part in the vigil in their city or town.
Together, we can lead the nations of the world away from an unnecessary war and toward a peaceful and prosperous future.
Freedom of expression is one of our most sacred rights. Whether I agree or disagree with his views, Mr. Downs has the right to wear that T-Shirt. By the way, it is a good looking T-Shirt.
Today with the Patriot act we have to watch our- selves in terms of rights. Was he on private property? Who made the complaint originally? If he has the time and resources, he should pursue legal action. It became a national subject.
Mr. Downs I agree with your rights to express yourself and the police in that Mall should have respected those rights too. I bet they weren't looking at your perspective or 1st Ammendment rights.
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By soldier (asb-ernie.salem.af.mil - 153.25.87.34) on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 2:32 am: Edit Post |
actually, all of you are seriously mis led by the person or people that run this site, they were arrested for trespassing, that is they were asked to remove the shirts by mall security when they recieved a complaint from a mall worker who was on lunch, they told the security gaurd no, local police were called who gave the man a choice. take off the shirt or put on hand cuffs, if his right to freedom of speech was infringed, why did they give him not one but two chances, by the way he was on private property and was asked to leave because he could not comply with house wishes, ie remove the shirt, the mall did not execute prejudice either, the mall prohibits the wearing off items that may cause controversy, so bet and think all you want, even dream as a lawyer that you get this case, but the facts are simple, they were asked as a legal order to comply by taking the shirts off, they didnot, they were asked to leave, they didnot, they were then asked by local police to remove the shirts, they didnot, then they were put in handcuffs and forced to leave, they did, trespassing, end of story, oh and by the way, take that picture of the t-shirt down, it is nothing like the one they were wearing, theirs were plain white with black lettering
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By soldier (asb-ernie.salem.af.mil - 153.25.87.34) on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 2:32 am: Edit Post |
actually, all of you are seriously misled by the person or people that run this site, they were arrested for trespassing, that is they were asked to remove the shirts by mall security when they recieved a complaint from a mall worker who was on lunch, they told the security gaurd no, local police were called who gave the man a choice. take off the shirt or put on hand cuffs, if his right to freedom of speech was infringed, why did they give him not one but two chances, by the way he was on private property and was asked to leave because he could not comply with house wishes, ie remove the shirt, the mall did not execute prejudice either, the mall prohibits the wearing off items that may cause controversy, so bet and think all you want, even dream as a lawyer that you get this case, but the facts are simple, they were asked as a legal order to comply by taking the shirts off, they didnot, they were asked to leave, they didnot, they were then asked by local police to remove the shirts, they didnot, then they were put in handcuffs and forced to leave, they did, trespassing, end of story, oh and by the way, take that picture of the t-shirt down, it is nothing like the one they were wearing, theirs were plain white with black lettering
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By Freedom Fighter (0-1pool136-7.nas12.somerville1.ma.us.da.qwest.net - 63.159.136.7) on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 - 9:15 am: Edit Post |
Why were they asked to to take off their shirts?
If I told you to remove your shirt filled with Medals for the beliefs you believe in, wouldn't you be concerned?
When is shopping or (as Rodney Dangerfield might say) Browsing in a Mall Trespassing? Was that decision up to Mall security who was too "gung Ho" on the war fevor? By the way, what person made that decision? This guy who was an RPCV now has had his name in the public, let's get the other guy's name out here who had the hostility to the Message of Peace?
So Mall Policy would prohibit Tatoos, Loud Punk hair do's, public kissing of two females, perhaps something even wierder, mall security making the judgement that White T-shirts with Black Letters that advocate Peace could be seen as controversial?
Soldier. I ask you to pray for Peace and your brothers who are working in Iraq. Both sides are losing lives senselessly over a fight over ego, power, natural resources, all in the name of of fear and terror.
Security officers and police should use descretion when using force and arrest against what they are fighting for.
Freedom Fighter
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By Anonymous (c-67-165-169-132.hsd1.il.comcast.net - 67.165.169.132) on Monday, August 13, 2007 - 3:14 am: Edit Post |
I don't understand how the slogans "Give peace a chance" and "Peace on earth" could be deemed controversial. That doesn't make any sense. It's almost as if someone complained because I had a nike logo on my t-shirt I could be kicked out for not removing.
