Stop the War Mall Tour - Update

Suffolk County Long Islanders opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq, took their protest to the Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington on Saturday. Peace activists, asserting their right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment, carried on the action which began in Smith Haven Mall on March 29th, and which resulted in the arrest of an 80 year old man who refused to remove his anti-occupation T-shirt at the food court while eating and resting after the demonstration outside.

The Walt Whitman demonstration was proceeded by a walk around the inside of the mall by Long Islanders in their anti-occupation T-shirts which brought attention to the over 4,000 American soldiers who have lost their lives. The T-shirts stated, “ENOUGH!”

Protesters in and outside the mall, including members of East End Women In Black which has vigiled for peace twice monthly in Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor for almost 6 years, called for bringing home the troops; reallocating war funds for housing, jobs, healthcare, the environment and education; restoring Constitutional rights and human rights; and the implementation of a foreign policy based on the rule of law, justice, and human dignity. While there was a great deal of security, protesters were peaceful, did not disrupt shoppers, but hoped to get the local community to pay attention to what is being done in their name.

Summer 2008 Stop the War Long Island Mall Tour sponsored by the Suffolk Peace Network will continue July 26 in Roosevelt Field Mall, Westbury, Long Island.

filed by Sigrid Meinel for East End Report