Artist: Stephen Downs
Confronting Bodies: Mall Security, and County Police
Date of Action: June 2, 2003
Specific Location: Guilderland N.Y. Shopping Mall
Description of Artwork: T-Shirt reading "Peace on Earth, Give Peace a Chance"
Description of Incident: Stephen Downs, 61, and his son were asked by mall security guards to remove their peace-slogan shirts or leave. Downs' 31-year-old son, Roger, took off his shirt. But Downs refused. The guards called police, and he was charged with trespassing and pleaded innocent. The men had had the T-shirts made at a mall store and wore them while they shopped
Results of Incident: Hundreds of protesters marched through the mall on June 4th wearing peace t-shirts. In the court hearing Stephen Downs has plead not guilty to the charge of trespassing. The Mall later dropped all charges.
Source: NCAC: Associated Press
Submitted By: Peter Silerman