12-year-old (war) protester charged; mom, too

[sabra]

Source: des moines register

Twelve-year-old war protester Frankie Hughes was arrested late Wednesday for trespassing after she allegedly refused to leave U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin's Des Moines office.

On Thursday morning, the girl's mother - who was standing outside Harkin's office when Frankie was taken into custody - was ticketed for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

"How crazy," said Frankie, who learned after school that her mother had been charged. "She didn't contribute to anything. I did what was in my heart. No one suggested I do what I did."

The charge against Renee Lynn Espeland, 49, of Des Moines is a simple misdemeanor. Police say Espeland "knowingly encouraged and contributed to her daughter's arrest."

...

Des Moines Police Sgt. David Murillo said: "I understand and fully appreciate a person's constitutional right to free speech. However, this was a case of bringing a child into a criminal arena."

Read more: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20104090357

[katandmoon]

1. We live in a country where a 12 year old war protester gets arrested, but a president who lied us

into war not only gets let off the hook, his successor protects his criminal ass.

This country is more fucked up, and more fucked, by the day.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. If it weren't going on right in front of us, you'd never get anyone to believe it!

If only someone could figure out a cure for this insanity.

The fat cats are just doing what works for them, but why are so many Americans so goddamned stupid as to go along with it?!

[paulsby]

7. to be more correct a war protester who TRESPASSES and refuses to leave

get arrested.

a dentist could get arrested too. not for being a dentist. for being a dentist who trespasses and refuses to leave.

iow, the arrest appears entirely reasonable, and in many cases, the very PURPOSE of such civil disobedience IS to get arrested.

i understand your sentiment, but just because there is mass fuckupedness vis a vis bush doesn't mean it's not ok to arrest people for trespass who ... wait for it... trespass

[No Elephants]

13. That is less accurate, not more. Her age is highly material.

[paulsby]

16. so are the details

she's 12. she was likely taken down to the station, then released.

do you assume she was put in a cell? (i STRONGLY doubt it) and such.

it was an "arrest". that doesn't mean she was cuffed and stuffed and placed into a holding cell

by all appearances, the cops did their job, as did the protesters

[The abyss]

15. Good to see you out-and-about.

Nice observation here!

[Iowa]

11. Yep. You nailed it.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. So Sen. Tom Harkin's Des Moines office is a 'criminal arena'? Who knew?

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. Gosh, I thought kids protesting war was a thing from the 60's... Good for

Frankie, and anyone that contributed to the enlightenment of this minor.

[Solly Mack]

5. A senator's office is a "criminal arena" ? Snicker.

[activa8tr]

6. That 12 year old can be President someday, and I will vote for her

if the good Lord and my age doesn't prevent me ...

I will be 95 if she runs for President at 35, if she waits until she is 45, good luck to her and me.

[patrice]

8. God forbid our children should stand for what's right unless it's with a cardboard cutout of GWB.

[alp227]

9. Why was she still protesting after hours?

I mean, Harkin's office was closed, hardly anyone would be there to see the protest, so what was the point of staying?

[No Elephants]

14. Civil disobedience.

If she had left when asked, it would have been a visit, not a protest.

[htuttle]

17. Indeed...

The same way that obtaining a permit for a protest march makes it a parade.

[Ysabel]

21. hey there you pipe down...

- if we don't get permission all hell could break loose dontcha know...

[femrap]

10. We are so....

Soviet.

[NobleCynic]

12. To arrest seems foolish from a PR stance

I mean, the capitol police surely could have just removed her and left it at that. Coburn wasn't thinking on this one.

[IndianaGreen]

18. Supporting war is patriotic, opposing war is criminal

Don't we all love all this change?

[Blue_Tires]

19. ttt

[New Dawn]

20. Another example of USA's "free and open" society.