DA clears anti-Bush protesters

[Desperadoe]

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - The “Smoketown Six” are free men.Prosecutors announced today they are withdrawing disorderly conduct charges against the six Lancaster men accused of dropping their pants last July in protest during President George W. Bush’s visit to Smoketown Elementary School.

The men, nicknamed the “Smoketown Six,’’ stripped down to thong underwear and piled on top of each other minutes before the President’s motorcade passed, saying they were re-enacting the infamous human-pyramid photo of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad.

This morning, Lancaster County District Attorney Donald Totaro announced that a joint decision was made between members of his office and the East Lampeter Township Police to withdraw the charges.

“Because this was symbolic conduct, designed to protest foreign policy in Iraq,’’ Totaro explained, the groups’ action that day is protected under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment right to free speech.<snip>

http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/9073

[Unstuck In Time]

1. Anyone who's ever skimmed through a magazine article about free speech

... could have told them that.

Heck, anyone who's ever STOOD NEAR a magazine article about free speech could have told them that!

What a bunch of idiots. Well, at least their stupidity gave the Smoketown Six far more publicity than they would have gotten otherwise.

[Kolesar]

5. The internet is full of stories of 1st amendment violations under the Bush

Regime.

Billy, is that you?

[zbdent]

2. This is pretty big, isn't Lancaster County

Amish country? Conservative central.

[screembloodymurder]

3. They'll be back.

This is Lancaster County. One way or another, these guys are dead ducks. It may take years, but they will pay. The German fascist in Lancaster will make them pay.

[mongo]

4. i never heard about this

I think people should do this whereever * goes...