Ridgewood, NJ - A man was charged with trespassing in a mall after he refused to take off a T-shirt that said “CURB YOUR GOD”.
Mall security approached Paul Minotto, 42, on Monday night after he was spotted wearing the T-shirt at Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey.
Minotto said he was asked to remove the shirt or leave the mall. He refused.
The guards returned with a police officer who repeated the ultimatum. Minotto refused.
“'I said, `All right then, arrest me if you have to,'” Minotto said. “So that's what they did. They put the handcuffs on and took me away. The shirt is nothing more than advertising for the primeTime sublime Community Orchestra.''
Minotto pleaded innocent to the charges Monday night. The New Jersey Civil Liberties Union said it would help with his case if asked.
Police Chief James Murley said his officers were just responding to a complaint by mall security.
“We don't care what people have on their shirts, but he was asked to leave the property, and it's private property,'' Murley said.
A mall spokeswoman did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.
Monday's arrest came less than three months after about 20 peace activists wearing similar T-shirts were told to leave by mall security and police.
There were no arrests.
