Protesters greet Bush along route of motorcade; 7 men are charged

[Penndems]

From the Lancaster New Era:

By Ad Crable And Kristen Kridel

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - The flag-waving, cheering throngs and banners for “Four More Years” were there. But the signs of discord and disapproval with President George W. Bush were also amply evident Friday afternoon outside Lapp’s Electrical Service in Smoketown, where the president spoke. They were there as well along the 18-mile motorcade route to York, with the president surprisingly visible in the front of the bullet-proof, tinted-glass presidential bus. The president had to see the thumbs-down gestures and John Kerry banners, perhaps even the occasional obscene fingers thrust skyward as his bus passed by them.

Six young men from Lancaster City wearing only thong underwear were arrested along Old Philadelphia Pike when they attempted to recreate the infamous picture of Iraqi prisoners forced into a human pyramid at Abu Ghraib prison.

The protesters stripped down to their underwear and formed their improv in front of a greenhouse, near where the president was to speak, East Lampeter Township police said.

<snip>

Later, as the motorcade passed through Lancaster, Martin Andrews, 42, . . . made an obscene gesture and dropped his pants at the president’s convoy, Lancaster police said. Police who had to leave their positions to deal with Andrews, arrested him for disorderly conduct. Police said Andrews ignored police commands while he was being arrested and officers had to spray him with a chemical agent. He was then additionally charged with resisting arrest.

More:

http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/print/7449
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I never thought I'd hear about anything like this happening in a conservative bastion like Lancaster County, LOL.

Kudos to the Keystone State!

[donco6]

1. Martin is a man after my own heart.

I sometimes perform the same stunt in the privacy of my own home.

[Penndems]

2. He's won my heart, too

I'm just so SHOCKED that this happened in Lancaster County. That place is so conservative they make Santorum look like a liberal.

[donco6]

3. Hey, I'm surprised about my home state, too.

I drove home to Kansas (now THERE's conservative), and saw quite a number of Dump Bush, Regime Change Begins at Home, etc. etc. signs on cars and lawns.

Bush just brings out the demonstrative anger that's otherwise buried. Glad to hear it's happening in PA, too.

[Penndems]

7. Now, that's a shocker - dissent in the conservative heartland

I would LOVE to see Bob Dole's home state go into the Democratic column on November 2nd.

:bounce:

[Trajan]

4. LMFAO to ronco's statement ...

But seriously: ... dropping your pants is a violation of the law that has noting to do with a specific protest: EXCEPT perhaps to draw attention ..... but if one uses such a stunt; one must exepct to be arrested, and to go peacefully ....

Resisting arrest for breaking laws really isnt wise, or productive in any sense ...

Protest your ass off: but keep your cock in yer pants, even skinny little thong-pants, on city streets ....

[Kahuna]

5. Funny!

:bounce:

[Kolesar]

6. That humid pyramid certainly was a clever idea

We need protest ideas for when the VP candidates debate in Cleveland October 4. The thongs might not be warm enough, we will have to think of something else.

[Wolftone378]

8. Dropping drawers in public is probably not a good idea.

I like the pyramid! Way to go Lancaster, PA!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bounce:

[Barrett808]

9. Bush gives protesters The Finger!

Just read this from Iraq Today -- Daily War News (http://dailywarnews.blogspot.com):

The single greatest event of my life.
So I went to protest Dubya today, as he was visiting my humble little burg of East Lampeter, PA.


Adam came over and with my and Matt's help, created two banners. They read:

DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER

and

MORE TREES, LESS BUSH

The action got started off right when we arrived on the scene, and seven or eight teenage guys decided to "re-enact" the prison abuse scandals in Iraq by stripping down to thongs and making a human pyramid, while donning black hoods. The police officers on the scene immediately tackled them and led them out in handcuffs. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in court. Meanwhile, a crazy fortysomething man was asking Sean and Adam if they put their efforts into worshiping Christ. They said, "Yes, we like Jesus. We go to church." The man was befuddled, not expecting that sort of response from two teenage boys. Anyway, chants were formed, and heckling ensued. Adam and I even got filmed by a cameraman screaming "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!" as we simultaneously shook our copies of 1984 in the air. I don't know if it will actually get used in news footage, but if anyone sees it, please let me know.

It gets so much better.


Sean had to go back to work (he snuck out to join in the fun), so we drove him back to my place where his car was, then me, Adam, and Brendan went to another spot along the highway that we had spied earlier. A friendly Kerry supporter named Mr. Shenk let us use his front yard to display our banners. Now comes the good part. After waiting around for about 45 minutes, the motorcade passed by us again. A few police cars, followed by a van or two, drove by. Then, a Bush/Cheney bus passed, followed by a second one going slower. At the front of this second bus was The W himself, waving cheerily at his supporters on the other side of the highway. Adam, Brendan, and I rose our banner (the More Trees, Less Bush one) and he turned to wave to our side of the road. His smile faded, and he raised his left arm in our direction. And then, George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States of America, extended his middle finger.

Read that last sentence again.
I got flipped off by George W. Bush.

A ponytailed man standing next to us confirmed the event, saying, "I do believe the President of the U.S. just gave you boys the finger." We laughed probably for the next half hour, and promptly told everyone we knew. Brendan actually snapped a picture of Bushy in action, but the glare and the tint of the bus windows make it difficult to see him at all. Nonetheless, it was the best possible reaction.

We pissed George W. Bush off. We are true patriots.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/jiveturky/185733.html

These guys are my heroes of the day.

[DarkPhenyx]

10. OK, the source is questionable at best...however...

...Goddess I hope it's true! :) Even if it isn't it makes a great story. Just like Faeries I'm going to choose to believe in this. Why? it makes me feel good.

[Penndems]

16. It's true

If you click on the newspaper link in my original post, the guy's name (as well as his cohorts) are listed in the article.

Geez, this happened in Lancaster, PA, of all places. Who'd da thunk it? ;)

[DarkPhenyx]

17. I'd believe it completely if we had pictures.

Well, not completely but more willingly. OR if a news source had actually seen it. They could always, of course, be making it up.

I still choose to believe however. Cuz it makes me smile.

[glitch]

11. These kids give me hope for America - they are terrific

They'll be telling this story to their grand kids some day.

[TowelBoy]

12. AH!

YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE IT! OH MY GOODNESS!

That is quite hilarious :D

[Barrett808]

13. I can't see it -- can you describe for the lame of sight? n/t

[Barrett808]

14. Here's the photo -- not too clear

In fact, I can't see The Finger at all.

[DebJ]

15. If Cheney can say it, Bush can use the sign language.