A man dressed in red, white, and blue showed up at the Green Friday evening and began yelling at members of Occupy New Haven for flying Old Glory upside down.
That’s according to police spokesman Office David Hartman, who said the incident led to the arrest of the man and two occupiers.
The incident marks the first arrests to be made in connection with Occupy New Haven, the encampment of tents that’s held a portion of the upper Green since mid-October. The occupation is an off-shoot of Occupy Wall Street, the nationwide grassroots protest movement against corporate greed and income inequality.
New Haven’s occupation recently began flying the American flag upside-down, prompting front-page headlines and stirring controversy. Occupiers said it is not a sign of disrespect, only a symbol that the nation is in distress. (In the language of flags, flying a ship’s colors upside-down is a way of communicating that the vessel needs assistance.)
But others see it differently, including the 69-year-old who allegedly showed up to take issue with the practice in person.
Here’s what happened, according to Hartman:
At 4:18 p.m. Friday, police responded to Chapel and College streets on a report of a fight near the occupation. Lieutenant Rebecca Sweeney, Officer Scott Durkin and Officer Curtis Miller responded to the anonymous call.
Police learned that a man — dressed in red, white, and blue and carrying an American flag on a pole — had arrived on the Green, upset that the occupiers were flying the flag upside down. The man began yelling at members of Occupy New Haven, “and it wasn’t long before some members of that group began yelling back,” Hartman said.
A heated argument ensued and the man shoved one of the occupiers. Police charged the man and two male occupiers — a 28-year-old and a 25-year-old — with breach of peace. The 28-year-old, known as Moose, is the occupation’s head of security.
The Register reported on a subsequent march to police headquarters by members of the occupation.
Previous coverage of Occupy New Haven and Occupy Wall Street:
• Occupation Rejects “Victory” Declaration
• New Haven Occupiers Clash With NYC Cops
• Who’s In & Who’s Out At The Occupation?
• “I Knew It — He’s A Scumbag”
• “Occu-Pies” Arrive
• Occupation Weather(ize)s Its 1st Storm
• Clergy Bless The Occupiers
• Occupiers Eye Clock Factory
• In New Haven, “Occupiers” Embrace The Cops
• Midnight Drug Warning Sparks Soul-Searching
• Emergency Session Poses Democracy Test
• The Password (The Password) … Is (Is) …
• 1,000 Launch New Haven’s “Occupation”
• Klein: Occupation Needs To Confront Power
• Whoops! Movement Loses $100K
• New Haven’s “Occupation” Takes Shape
• Occupy Branford: Wall Street Edition
• Anti-Bankers’ Dilemma: How To Process $$
• Labor, Occupiers March To Same Beat
• Protests’ Demand: A “World We Want To See”
• Protesters To Occupy Green Starting Oct. 15
• Wall Street Occupiers Page Verizon
• New Haven Exports “Free”-dom To Occupiers