Police arrest anti-war protester, 80, at mall.

Cops arrest 80 year old man for wearing Anti-War T-shirt

www.newsday.com

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.

(visit the link for the full news article)








Mod Edit: Title correction. *Revised* - Instructions for the Breaking News Forums

* Copy the exact headline of the story into the headline field, don't make one up or sensationalise it.

Jak


[edit on 31/3/08 by JAK]

There's not really much I can even say to this. So much for freedom of speech and expression. Land of the free eh? I wonder if he got the status-quo tazing too?

www.newsday.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I would love to see the actual graphic on this shirt in order to replicate and wear it. We are losing our freedoms at an astounding rate, sadly.

I don't know if you US folk are aware of this tht happened...

Nevertheless, it sickening what is happening to those who oppose the status quo.

www.independent.co.uk...

Holy crap is this for real!?

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! POPULAR OPINION IS NOW OUTLAWED.

Seriously is this America anymore? You know when we protested Vietnam and caused all that trouble I don't recall any old men being arrested... now look at this, we have harmless citizens being tasered and carried away for the smallest infractions... for challenging authority in the smallest capacity.

Imagine what will happen with the 95% of Americans who are done with this war? Done with this administration and done with this political system? If even a fraction stands up, we're going to see this police state situation explode. It's obvious they are just itching to make examples of people, if they are desperate enough to arrest old men for harmless t-shirts. Disgusting.

I am also disgusted with the motards we have running around this country who are so gutless that they would claim to be 'disrupted' by a t-shirt. Don't people realize how weak America has become because of their brittle yuppy attitudes? It's because we have a nation of weak yuppies that police can do this crap.

NWO -

Who will stand up for anything anymore?
Who will be counted as saying 'I disagree?'

Who will stand by their beliefs?
Who will stand for their morals?

Who stand up and say...
NO?

Fewer and fewer, I believe and it is sad, sad, sad.

Originally posted by NewWorldOver
I am also disgusted with the motards we have running around this country who are so gutless that they would claim to be 'disrupted' by a t-shirt. Don't people realize how weak America has become because of their brittle yuppy attitudes? It's because we have a nation of weak yuppies that police can do this crap.

Are people truly upset by the shirt and blindly supporting the action in Iraq or is it just a on the spot call by the police. My bet is both. This weakens my beliefs for the future. When is enough going to be enough.

Originally posted by NewWorldOver
I am also disgusted with the motards we have running around this country who are so gutless that they would claim to be 'disrupted' by a t-shirt. Don't people realize how weak America has become because of their brittle yuppy attitudes?

YOU FINALLY BLAMED THE RIGHT PEOPLE!!! AMERICAN citizens...not cops. Of course we are the scapegoats, but if you TRULY want the truth it lies with our society.

The police HAD to make this man leave, the article states mall security placed him under citizens arrest...which means the cops have NO CHOICE but to follow the law. So stop blaming the cops....

It all comes down to people. We are such a tip toe, politically correct, don't hurt my feelings bunch that we are EASILY offended and most of our people are EASILY squashed by anything "mean". If 100 people in this country are OK with something but 1 idiot comes along and doesn't like it...guess who wins? You got it...that 1 person. GOD forbid we make one person upset and then think the other 100 should just deal with it.

Hope to GOD a war never comes to this soil, we are screwed. And knowing this country will most likely have another civil war soon, the MASSES will cave because if a tshirt makes them call mall security instead of walking by...imagine their reaction when the real ---- hits the fan!

Originally posted by roadgravel
or is it just a on the spot call by the police.

See this is what I mean. Police didn't just show up and arrest the guy! We respond to complaints made by others or as I stated we have rules to follow when someone/security makes a citizens arrest. You people really need to learn more about the laws and way laws are enforced before ALWAYS assuming the police make all the decisons.

reply to post by rcwj75


Excuse me. Too general use of the term police when security was appropriate.

I will say that my young years were a wee bit in the past but the police were pretty nasty back then. Sure there are good and bad officers but the bad part needs to be removed. Respect is earned.

Did anyone need to know that?

Just be polite and hit ignore dude...You have no need to make a drama out of it do you?

It's news to me. And I appreciate the OP for putting it out there.

You dont like - don't comment.

Why waste time typing????????

chill

[edit on 30-3-2008 by more_serotonin_pls]

Intriguing...

Was it you that was arrested Chissler?

Sorry - couldn't help it, bro.

Originally posted by roadgravel
Excuse me. Too general use of the term police when security was appropriate.

I will say that my young years were a wee bit in the past but the police were pretty nasty back then. Sure there are good and bad officers but the bad part needs to be removed. Respect is earned.

Yes excuse you...YOU used the term "on spot call by POLICE"...so you are blaming the wrong people. Security would of been appropriate...I agree...but thats not what you used. And NOOOOOO security IS NOT police...so don't get them confused.

This has nothing to do with good/bad cops...it has to do with an elderly man wearing a t-shirt PEOPLE didn't like...PEOPLE called SECURITY and the guy wouldn't change or leave, soooo SECURITY made a citizens arrest...after all of that THEN the police got involved and the ONLY reason police got involved is because they had to by law because SECURITY made the arrest.

Police/Cops/Law Enforcement had NOTHING to really do with this incident at all! This is an issue that stinks of law makers, and of citizens who cry about the smallest things....thats it!

reply to post by rcwj75


yeah, well, the police could have said, this is not a criminal offense, he has every right to wear this under the law, and next time, don't make a citizen's arrest unless it is an actual crime.

The shirt has been described. There was no decapitated bodies on it. A few red spots and the death tolls. If reality is illegal, then we are in big trouble. No wonder everything is so messed up, spreading the facts gets you arrested.

We had something like this happen about a t-shirt with a naughty nun on it. Ridiculous over-reaction, it even led to the shopping center raising the rent so high on the place that sold the shirt they had to close down, I knew the owner. This was about 10 years ago, maybe a couple less.

People need to respect others freedoms. If you have a kid, then use it to talk to them, teach them your morals and values. Being an over-protective twit will not serve your child justice when they grow up and they don't have anyone to shelter them anymore.



I also thank you for posting this OP, that person who put you on ignore doesn't understand the concept of this website yet. If they put me on ignore, so be it, but I don't put anyone on ignore, even if they make my hair fall out from their statements.

80 year old man in a wheel chair arrested for a factual t-shirt. What has this world come to? How sad it is to live in such moronic times.

Originally posted by FreeThinkerIdealist
yeah, well, the police could have said, this is not a criminal offense, he has every right to wear this under the law, and next time, don't make a citizen's arrest unless it is an actual crime.

NOOOO they couldn't have!

See its easy to sit and say to do this and that but NOT know the laws. It was a mall, which means it was most likely PRIVATE PROPERTY. So security of that MALL has the final say when it comes to removal/arrest. We as LEO's cannot decide that on scene for something like this. They wanted him gone, it was provate property and he HAS to go. He didn't so they "arrested" him...so the law WAS broken and police have no authority to revoke a provate arrest.

Do I think the who thing stinks...SURE DO....but is it the fault of law enforcement...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You have to understand how the law/private property and removal from such work before pointing fingers.

The shirt has been described. There was no decapitated bodies on it. A few red spots and the death tolls. If reality is illegal, then we are in big trouble. No wonder everything is so messed up, spreading the facts gets you arrested.

I agree...let him wear it...I would have had NO problem with it as a person or even as a cop, but again, thats not the issue...issue is PEOPLE...AMERICAN PEOPLE didn't like what they saw...sad as it is...

[edit on 3/30/2008 by rcwj75]

Oh My GAWD. Didju seeee that old man wearing that tee shirt Yuck. Totally soo. BORRRR RING!

Im calling security hes tOOOOtally ruineddd my shopping! Yeah totally! Wheres my cell...

Why are people like that always soooooo negative?? Yeah negative! Such a downer..

reply to post by Leo Strauss


BINGO...thats most likely what actually happened..lol.

The only reason a T-shirt like that is offensive to others is because people are in denial and have no idea what's going on in the world around them. That's my take anyway.

-ChriS

can any American tell me why Bush was re-elected again 4 years ago?