Faso protester charged with trespassing

Building operator said community activist was warned multiple times to stay out of private parking lot

A community activist was warned multiple times to stay out of the private parking lot at the Seven21 Media Center during protests against U.S. Rep. John Faso before she was charged with trespassing, the building’s operator said Friday.

Dara Ellenbogen said she filed a complaint against Callie Jayne after warning her to stay out of the parking lot of the Broadway building, where Faso has a district office.

Kingston police say Jayne charged with trespassing on March 5.

Anti-Faso protests outside the building at 721 Broadway are held regularly, typically on the public sidewalk in front of the structure.

The Freeman has received no reports of sidewalk protesters being charged with trespassing.

Jayne, who has worked for Citizen Action of New York, said in a Facebook post that she was in the building’s parking lot.

“The Seven21 Media Center quoted Martin Luther King Jr. while talking about why they are pressing charges against me for trespassing,” Jayne wrote. “Just me. In a parking lot outside of my congressman’s office . ...

“This is a violation of my rights,” she wrote. “This is the criminal injustice system at work. This is slander. This is interfering with my ability to work and care for my family.”

Citizen Action of New York describes itself as a “grassroots membership organization taking on big

issues that are at the center of transforming society.”

Ellenbogen said protesters have the right to assemble on the sidewalk but not in the building’s parking lot. And he described Seven21 Media Center as

a “nonpartisan” establishment.

“Callie was warned by myself, members of our staff, by the maintenance guy, by an assistant, and by police to move to keep the protest on the sidewalk,” Ellenbogen said. “How many more times will this behavior continue without taking stand?”

A posting on the Seven21

Media Center’s Facebook page states: “To be clear, this action undertaken by Seven21 was done so as a last resort after repeated warnings were issued. It was not, and is not, a political action or statement. It is not a reflection of the political beliefs of building management.”

Rosemary Rivera, organizing director of Citizen

Action of New York, said the charge should be dropped.

“Community leader Callie Jayne received a criminal summons for trespassing,” Rivera said in an email. “This summons claims the infraction took place during a peaceful protest outside of Rep. John Faso’s office. All people should have the ability and freedom to demonstrate

peacefully and challenge the positions held by their elected officials. These charges expose the racist nature of our justice system, which routinely finds new ways to criminalize the behavior of black and brown people.” Jayne is black.

Jayne has not replied to numerous phone and email messages from a Freeman

reporter.

A spokesman for Faso said the congressman had nothing to do with Jayne being charged.

“We were not involved in the arrest and have no details to offer or a comment at this time,” Joe Gierut said in an email.

Jayne is due to appear in Kingston City Court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.