" Two DuPage County residents charged with disorderly conduct for displaying an anti-war sign over an expressway near Glen Ellyn last year will go to trial in June after a judge Thursday declined to dismiss their case.
Judge Ronald Sutter said there is sufficient evidence to show probable cause for the arrest of Jeff Zurawski, 40, of Downers Grove, and Sarah Hartfield, 45, of Naperville. For several hours on May 6, the pair placed a banner that read "IMPEACH Bush and Cheney—LIARS" on a footbridge on the Great Western Trail overlooking Interstate Highway 355.
The charge against them claims that they were seen making a throwing motion that alarmed and disturbed motorists. Zurawski and Hartfield contend they were only practicing their right to free speech as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
DuPage County State's Atty. Joseph Birkett has said "this has nothing to do with political expression" but rather that highways are dangerous places and that this is an issue of public safety.
The maximum penalty for misdemeanor disorderly conduct is 1 year in jail."
Its difficult for me to give the State's Attorney the benefit of the doubt and think this is NOT political, only a public safety issue!? I guess protesters who were counting on raising their hands and/or pumping their fists when they are exercizing their right to free speech won't be able to do that in DuPage county. ( I guess Birkett wants protestors to protest at a forest preserve or somewhere where there are no cars or people who can possibly envision a peaceful protest as a threat. Oh yeah, darn, there would probably be very few people there to hear them! ) Anywhere you would want to speak out to a reasonably sized audience will have roads and cars nearby! So anyone who raises their arms/hands must be assumed to have a rock or weapon in it? Jeez Louise. Idiotic. Look at the picture again... these are pretty high fences (~ >8ft) above the praire path bridge over I-355 -- it doesn't make sense to me that the protestors would throw something over it.
And finally, I just have to note that since this happened almost a year ago the Bush administration has admitted to lying about torture since last May. Their sign was absolutely 100% true - Bush & Cheney ARE Liars. (but even if the sign wasn't true- that's still not a reason to limit free speech protests. )
Since I was on a vent/roll ... I just submitted this to the comments section of the story in the Daily Herald:
I can only assume that Mr Birkett wants all protestors to protest at locations where there are no people around to erroneously assume a "threat" of rock throwing or some such nonsense if they happen to have their arm raised ... maybe he wants them all to go meekly to a forest preserve -instead of a road or street corner or interstate - where there are NO cars or people around to hear them? C'mon. This IS definitely political. No protestor in DuPage can make a hand gesture, raise their hand or shake their fists? ... maybe Jeff & Sarah were just waving at someone who honked in support of their protest - I would have honked if I'd seen them!
Maybe if there were MORE such peaceful protests in DuPage then people wouldn't get so freaked out when they see a protestor with their hand raised! I support Jeff & Sarah 100%. If Birkett doesn't back down I think he will see more protests in response to his chill on the 1st Amendment. DuPage is turning Blue and they better get used to some changes coming ....
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