By BREEA WILLINGHAM, Staff writer First published: Monday, March 10, 2003
More than 200 people participated in a peaceful protest in the food court at Crossgates Mall Sunday, calling for an end to a management policy they say violates freedom of speech by banning the wearing of T-shirts that bear anti-war slogans.
The group, Women Against War, had come to the mall hoping to get management to rescind its controversial policy, which came to light last week with the arrest of Stephen Downs, 60, who refused to leave the mall or take off his T-shirt, which had "Peace on Earth" on the front and "Give Peace a Chance" on the back. After two hours of negotiating with mall officials, members of the group came away empty-handed but determined to fight harder for freedom of speech.
"We will send a strong message to Crossgates Mall and Pyramid (Corporation) that this is the end of business as usual," said Erin O'Brien, a member of the group.
The group does not intend to boycott the mall but will start a letter-writing campaign to Pyramid Corporation, which owns Crossgates, and to the mall in further protest of its policies, O'Brien said.
Sunday's protest was the second at the mall since Downs' arrest March 3 on trespassing charges. The mall has since asked that the charges be dropped but has not budged on changing its policy, which bans patrons from wearing clothing with slogans that may incite a disturbance.
Four days after the arrest of Downs, an attorney with the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, Robert Williams, the security guard who signed the trespassing complaint, was fired.
As part of their demands, Women Against War also asked mall representatives to reinstate Williams' job and to issue a public apology to those who have been told to leave the mall under the policy.
"We will not tolerate the assault on freedom of speech and Robert Williams, who is clearly being scapegoated and used as a sacrificial lamb," O'Brien said.
Crossgates issued a one-page written statement through its public relations firm, E3 Communications, which stated that it doesn't have a policy of "selective enforcement."
"Rather, our policy focuses on rules of conduct, which strictly prohibit loitering, disorderly or disruptive conduct, harassment, offensive language, fighting or other activities that could be deemed illegal," the statement said.
None of the protesters, most of whom wore pro-peace shirts, were arrested Sunday. A few people wore T-shirts that read "Peace on Earth" on the front and "Please Don't Arrest Me" on the back. Others read "Reinstate Robert Williams" and "Free Speech in Corporate Malls."
"Who does Crossgates Mall think they are? The fashion police," said protester Yunus Fiske of Watervliet. "I saw a mannequin wearing a shirt with a peace sign. Are they going to throw the mannequin out?"