Police arrest 80 year old war protester

[Raineyrocks]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liwar305631629mar30%2C0%2C1085417.story

Police arrest anti-war protester, 80, at mall

BY ANASTASIA ECONOMIDES AND MATTHEW CHAYES |
    March 30, 2008


   

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.

[KBCraig]

Private property. They're entitled to kick him out.

[David]

Private property. They're entitled to kick him out.

True, but an example of civ dis towards non gov't group.  Even though they had nothing to do with the issue at hand. 

[ReverendRyan]

True, but an example of civ dis towards non gov't group.  Even though they had nothing to do with the issue at hand. 

No such thing. Civ dis against a private entity is nothing more than disregarding property rights. Show me one instance of civ dis against a private company that is justified.

[picaro]

Refusing to turn in your guns to Blackwater employees.

Running a pirate radio station over a ClearChannel commercial station. 

[KBCraig]

Refusing to turn in your guns to Blackwater employees.

In that example they're government agents, not private.

[ReverendRyan]

Refusing to turn in your guns to Blackwater employees.

If they are acting in the employ of govt, then it's plain old civ dis. They are govt agents.
If they are acting completely independently, then it's plain old self defense against a private criminal organization.

[picaro]

Is CivDis possible against a company that is dumping mercury into the drinking water with government permission?  See British Petroleum, the state of Indiana, and Lake Michigan.

[ReverendRyan]

Is CivDis possible against a company that is dumping mercury into the drinking water with government permission?  See British Petroleum and Lake Michigan.

Now what act of civ dis would you expect to do? Clean the water without permission?

[picaro]

True... monkeywrenching wouldn't count as Civ Dis.

[David]

Is CivDis possible against a company that is dumping mercury into the drinking water with government permission?  See British Petroleum and Lake Michigan.

Now what act of civ dis would you expect to do? Clean the water without permission?

To poison a persons drinking water is assault.  Monkeywrenching and or interfering with a private entitys action of poisoning others is extremely appropriate. 

[kola]

i can't believe she didnt get tasered.

they could at least dumped her otta her wheechair.

geeze, are the goons getting soft?

Kola

[ReverendRyan]

To poison a persons drinking water is assault.  Monkeywrenching and or interfering with a private entitys action of poisoning others is extremely appropriate. 

But that would be vigilantism, not civ dis.

[David]

What is the difference?  It is self defense.  At least vigilantism is.