Hi all, I've been lurking on this list for a couple of years. I thought this press release would be of interest.
best, Leif Utne Audubon ------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Leif Utne [EMAIL PROTECTED] 612.338.5040 x348 Kathryn Gilje 612.789.0318 TWO ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS ARRESTED SUNDAY WHILE LEAFLETING PEACEFULLY AT NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS SHOPPING CENTER MINNEAPOLIS--Police arrested two anti-war protesters on trespassing charges Sunday afternoon outside Rainbow Foods at the Quarry Mall in Northeast Minneapolis. The protesters, Kathryn Gilje and Lisa Sass Zaragoza, of Northeast Minneapolis, were part of a group of eight local volunteers for MoveOn.org (http://www.moveon.org), a leading national anti-war group. They were distributing literature for the Win Without War campaign (http://www.winwithoutwarus.org), a national effort supported by a broad coalition of business, religious, and civic leaders and grassroots groups calling for expanded UN inspections rather than violent intervention in Iraq. Initially, the store manager at Rainbow Foods told the protesters that while the store's "no soliciting" policy prohibited them from distributing literature "on store property"--which he said includes the sidewalk in front of the store--leafleting across the driveway in the store's parking lot was allowed. "As long as you're in the parking lot you're okay," he said to three of the protesters, including Gilje and Leif Utne, also of Northeast Minneapolis. Despite the store manager's initial approval, the police arrived about ten minutes later with four squad cars. At that point, the Rainbow manager came out of the store, accompanied by the manager of the neighboring Home Depot, and told the protesters that they were trespassing and would have to leave. He said that "store property" extends across the mall parking lot "all the way to the freeway (I-35W)." The police officers then asked the protesters to leave. Gilje and Sass Zaragoza attempted to politely discuss the issue with the police, pointing out the difference between commercial solicitation and distributing political literature. When the officers insisted they leave, Sass Zaragoza asked them to define "soliciting." At that point the officers arrested the two, and the other six protesters left the scene without incident. Gilje and Sass Zaragoza were detained in a squad car for approximately one hour and given citations for criminal trespass before being escorted from the property and released. They plan to contest the charges, which carry a possible fine of up to $800 and up to 90 days in jail. Their court date has not yet been set. Legal counsel is being provided John Lundquist of Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., 612.492.7181. TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
