Transgender rights activists arrested in Ottawa

[Shana A]

Transgender rights activists arrested in Ottawa

By Meghan Hurley, Postmedia News November 20, 2010

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Transgender+rights+activists+arrested+Ottawa/3861277/story.html

OTTAWA — As Ottawa police raised a flag at their downtown headquarters in tribute to Saturday's Transgender Day of Remembrance, two activists were arrested when they tried to hang a sign from a highway overpass.

"The police were trying to block our messaging, block us from standing up and saying our communities aren't represented by the police," said Taiva Tegler, who was on the overpass with about 15 other people. "We need to remember that these communities continue to he harassed, assaulted, humiliated, beaten and murdered."

The transgender activists were arrested on Saturday afternoon for mischief after they hung a "Remember Stonewall?" banner on the overpass. The Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969 began the gay rights movement in the United States.

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Ottawa transgender community remembers, celebrates
Last Updated: Saturday, November 20, 2010 | 4:19 PM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/11/20/ottawa-transgender-112.html

Ottawa recognized the Transgender Day of Remembrance Saturday, something praised by some in the city's transgender community as "amazing," but seized by others as a chance to protest.

Ottawa police flew the group's flag at their headquarters, and a ceremony at city hall remembered transgender people who have suffered from prejudice and hatred around the world.

[Crimbuki]

Here is the meat of the first article:

Dan Irving, co-ordinator of the sexuality studies program at Carleton University, was among the crowd at the police station. Police allowed him to speak to the two arrested, who said they would be kept at the police station overnight because they refused to give their names.

Were they taken in for hanging the banner or for not giving their names? I could see if there was a safety concern to motorist for the banner, but you are not required to give personal information even to a police officer (provided you don't lie).
Notice the article doesn't state they were charged with anything...

The second article:

Ottawa police confirmed two people were arrested for mischief, but could not say how many people were waiting peacefully for their release.

That's mighty vague.

Some of the comments after that article are horrendous...