ACLU Board Member Assaulted by Anti-Gay Marriage Organizer : IMC Worcester

The license plate on the van driving CatholicVote.Org, Executive Director Larry Cirignano out of Worcester and on to his next destination read, “MIR”, peace in Russian, but that was far from what Cirignano’s self-named, “Rally for Democracy” brought to Worcester City Hall’s steps.

An estimated 200 people encircled Cirignano and his podium, many holding “Let the People Vote” signs, a reference to the MA State Legislature’s decision on November 9 to recess the constitutional convention instead of voting on an amendment to ban same-sex marriage and allowing the measure to go on the MA ballot in 2008.

But while the verbal harangue’s directed at gay and lesbian community members was to be expected from this group, no one in the crowd expected Cirignano to lash out, assault and knock one of the civil rights demonstrators to the ground.

Early in the event, as the first few speakers shouted from the podium, Sarah Loy a member of the Board of Directors of the ACLU stepped forward. She too had a pre-printed sign, but hers read, “No Discrimination in the Constitution ~ MassEquality.Org”. Hurt and bothered by what the first speakers said, Loy said she felt moved, “I wanted the people that were listening to the speakers to see what our signs said.” “I wasn’t trying to disrupt anything; all I wanted to do was stand on the side so they could see my sign as well.”

It was at that point, in front of the 200 listening to the speakers and several home video cameras that Cirignano angrily came up from behind Loy, grabbed her and shoved her to the ground.

Immediately after the assault took place Loy and others turned to the Worcester Police Officers present at the rally. And while the officers quickly took Loy’s complaint, they responded that since they had not seen the assault happen they couldn’t put Mr. Cirignano under arrest. In fact it was only after the intervention of Ron Madnick, Executive Director of the Worcester ACLU Chapter that officers agreed to take statements from witnesses who had stepped forward. At first officers said they didn’t need to take statements, but faced with Madnick’s and witnesses’ persistence they did. It did not appear though that they spoke with any of the people that videotaped the assault.

The rally continued uninterrupted as Police took Cirignano off to the side to question him. He was unfazed and non-apologetic as he was interviewed and charged.

I spoke with Cirignano after the rally and asked him his side of what happened, “That lady came up to the podium and I escorted her back into the audience.” Given what had transpired, I followed-up to make sure I heard correctly, “Escorted?”, “Yes, escorted”, he replied. Asked if he felt he assaulted her he shot back without hesitation, “Hell, no!” adding,“She’s an actress, she’s a professional actress.”

As the speakers continued, MassEquality supporters rallied alongside, buttressed by a bicycle contingent from Worcester’s Earn-A-Bike. Same sex marriage supporters then remained in front of City Hall as the anti-gay marriage group packed-up their vans and signs. Pastor Judy Hanlon from Hadwen Park Congregational Church was one of several ministers that remained. “We need to re-consecrate this land”, she proclaimed, as the 20 remaining people soon moved from frustration and sadness to song and laughter.

Police take Sarah Loy's Statement

Statement

Police take statement from Holden Street Unitarian Universalist Pastor Rev. Aaron Payson.

Anti-Gay Marriage Rally

Earn-A-Bike

Twenty people from Earn-A-Bike paraded to City Hall in support of Mass Equality and efforts to preserve the right for all to marry in Massachusetts.

Worcester ACLU

Mass Equality Rally

Pastor Hanlon

Pastor Judith Hanlon from the Hadwen Park Congregational Church was one of several clergy present in defense of gay marriage. Pastor Hanlon played a leadership role this past winter organizing against the anti-gay "Mr. Hetero Contest" held at Mechanics Hall.

Mr.

Biased writer forgot to mention that most of the "witnesses" had spent most of the event trying to orchestrate a conflict or clash. And, he LIED. Larry C. didn't do jack. The broad took a dive. It was funny, hilarious, pathetic.

Waiting for more evidence...

Personally, I'm hoping some photos or video of the incident will pop up. Until then, I trust Richard Nangle and Sarah Loy quite a bit, and see no reason to doubt their combined word, Mr. Brennan.

Mr.

Don't mind Lonnie Brennan. He is still sore from getting his ass kicked in the last election. He got creamed by Representative L'Italien. He spent the whole campaign attacking her stance on gay marriage. Fortunately the voters still don't care about gay marriage. And honestly Rep. L'Italien is a courageous legislator that deserves to be re-elected.

Mrs.

I am definitely in favor of the legislators taking a vote on marriage sonce Article 48 gives proof that it is their DUTY to do so.on citizen's petitions. They can not pick and choose what to vote on. That's dangerous to our democracy. I am NOT anti gay as the paper makes it out to be because I demand a vote. I am PRO law and PRO constitution. If we do not have a vote on this soon there will be years of bitterness and it will continue to divide the state. LET THE PEOPLE VOTE!
I also was at the State House for a rally and a young man deliberately came over to me to see if he could get an angry reaction. People are trained to set up those with opposing views so that the story can make the papers and seem that there is hatered present when there is, in fact, none. The people just want their right as citizens.

thank you sarah loy

Thanks to Sarah Loy who peacefully demonstated, expressing her belief in a just and equal world for everyone, a world that recognizes, acknowledges, and gives equal rights to gay and lesbian couples. We're lucky to have people like her in our great state, people unafraid to demonstrate and speak out for the rights of those who are discriminated against, even at the cost of being physically assaulted. I commend and thank her for her courage.

Hell Yeah

Thats what i'm talkin bout

Mr.

Kevin I am disappointed in your slanted story. The police began interviewing the victim, suspect and witnesses immediately after it was determined that Ms Loy was not injured and an assault appeared to have taken place. Ronald Madnick had nothing to do whatsoever with any decisions made by Police. Apparently you did not bother to ask him. Perhaps Kevin you were a little angry because no personal information would be given to you by police at the time. But certainly you were advised that a simple assault and battery had taken place and a complaint was being sought. I recall you being told that when you asked me for names.

Mrs.

I read in the Worcester T&G that
Cirignano came at Ms. Loy from the podium, grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her down. I did not see that she was identified as an ACLU board member in the T&G - why not?? Did he come from the podium or not?

I read a statement from him saying he had one hand on her back, and now this account I read here says he came from the back. This article says that the police interviewed and "charged" Cirignano. Surely this is a typo. A person who is not being arrested cannot be charged. Maybe you meant to write that he was given some kind of citation? To say he was "charged" is inaccurate.

The people who gave statements seem to be all same-sex marriage sympathizers. If there is a video, why no link to it? Why were there no traditional marriage advocates who were photographed talking to the police? After all, with her being so close to the podium, in and among all the trad-marriage supporters - surely one or two would have stepped forward as a witness. Also, if she was the only "gay marriage" supporter in the crowd, how could sympathizers have seen what happened very clearly? I could see thatt if she were on the edge of the crowd, but right in the middle?

I'm sorry, Cirignano made a mistake by touching her at all, but I doubt the account of him pushing her to the ground..

statements

George....

I arrived just a few minutes after the assault, and police officers were taking statements from Ms Loy and Mr. Cirignano as my photos show. Ron Madnick was the person that told me he asked for statements to be taken from witnesses after an officer told someone, I'm not sure whom, that statements didn't need to be taken. I wrote the article based on what he told me.

I was told by a reliable source yesterday/Tues that the WPD at this point doesn't have any of the video tape. I'm mad at myself for not thinking to get the names of the man and the woman that I saw videotaping.

With the exception of the statement from Ron which I used to write the story, it felt to me like all of you did a very good job addressing the assault. I didn't expect you or any of the other Officers to give me Mr. Cirignano's name or any information, but I of course needed to ask. Hope that explains things better.

Fishy?

The whole "incident" seems fishy to me. With all you photogs hungering for news i.e., confrontation, no one got a shot of the "incident". It’s clear she intentionally sought confrontation with that group. Kevin, try impartiality in your journalistic endeavors, then you’ll gain credibility.

The people just want their right as citizens.

Thanks Jane, you make the perfect point. The people do just want their rights as citizens. I'm guessing though, that when we both say these sentences, we're referring to different groups of people. Fighting for rights that should have always existed shouldn't have to come to a vote because the people who have not had those rights for years just want their rights as citizens.

How aptly put.

@Jane

Voting to deny the minority their rights is not your right as a citizen.

I Was Assulted By The ACLU

This reminds me that I was assulted by a ACLU staff member at an ACLU rally in Newton.

His name was Brian Corr.

Here is the report and a few of the many newspaper letters about it.

http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display/55827/index.php

@Pedro

You mean he tried to take your flag? I read the article and that was the only mention of him that I could find. Not to be too picky but, I dont think trying to take your flag counts as assualt (at least not legally speaking) unless you thought that he was going to hurt you. Its not right to take something that doesn't belong to you so he was wrong to do it but, calling it assualt may be seen as misleading.

ACLU assulted me

To try and take take my flag the ACLUs bouncer Brian Corr tried to pry it from my hands by twisting on them.

That is unwanted non consencul touching and the application of force.

That is assualt on my person.

Thanks for reading the report and sorry I did not give every last little detail in it.