Charges dropped against protester for carrying ‘objectionable’ sign in Stamford
STAMFORD — Thirteen months after he was arrested for carrying a protest sign in the Government Center that people found objectionable, a South Windsor man has had his charges dropped.
Michael Picard, who calls himself a “liberty activist,” was charged with breach of peace and interfering with police after protesting the use of eminent domain inside Government Center on Nov. 14, 2019.
The sign he was carrying read: “F— your property - Stamford.”
“I think it was long overdue,” Picard, of South Windsor, said of the dismissal, which came after three court appearances and two virtual hearings on the matter. “If offending people was the standard of whether speech is protected, all speech would be shut down.”
The protest was a reaction to the city’s proposal to acquire a home on Pulaski Street in order
to widen Washington Boulevard.
At the time, Picard said the use of eminent domain to take someone’s property was wrong, even though the city was willing to compensate the owner for the property.
After a security guard told Picard his sign was inappropriate, police were called and officers confronted Picard and Stamford resident Michael Friend, who accompanied Picard to the Government Center that morning.
Police said they talked to a dozen people in the lobby who said they were offended by the sign, and he was charged with breach of peace. Because he would not give his name, he was additionally charged with interfering with police.
The dismissal took place during a virtual Stamford court hearing on Friday before Judge Gary White. Assistant State’s Attorney Margaret Moscati moved to nolle the charge, which White granted. Picard’s attorney, Joseph Sastre, then asked that the charge be dismissed outright, and without an objection from Moscati, the judge granted the request.
Moscati did not immediately return a call for comment on the case.
Sastre said he had filed a motion to have the charges dropped in early November. In the motion he argued Picard was not only engaged in legal conduct, but Constitutionally protected activity.
Talking about “offensive” con
duct, Sastre said, “Eminent domain is offensive to some people. A lot of things that go on in government is offensive. Who is to say this or that is offensive and should be outlawed?”
He added, “This is a free society and we need to practice tolerance. This means tolerating the opinions of other people.”
This is not the first time Picard and Sastre have prevailed in getting criminal charges dropped on free speech grounds. Picard was arrested in Stamford in April 2018 for protesting the arrest of Michael Friend several weeks earlier for warning drivers about a distracted driver checkpoint on Hope Street.
After protesting at the courthouse, he walked to police headquarters carrying a sign that read, “F— Free Speech - Stamford PD.”
While he was standing next to the steps at headquarters, then Chief Jon Fontneau came out and told him to put the sign down. When Picard refused, he was charged with breach of peace.
Several months later a prosecutor moved to drop the case and the charges against Picard were dismissed by a judge.