Winter Solstice Celebrants Arrested

Source: The New York Times

On December 23, 1998 the New York Times reported that 33 participants in aWinter Solstice celebration were charged with trespassing. The StatenIsland beach is technically closed after dusk, and the ritual firewas seen as problematic. "Ms. Henes, 53, said she had held at least15 solstice ceremonies on South Beach and never run into a problembefore. 'In the past,' she said, 'sometimes the Fire Department hascome because someone has seen the fire, and we say, look, this is ourreligion, and they have been very respectful and let us finish theceremony.'" (NYT, December 22, 1998, Section B, Page 5, Column1, Metropolitan Desk) The next day, the paper reported that the ACLUwas asking the City to drop all charges before the court date,scheduled for January 25. The executive director of the ACLU, NormanSiegel commented, "'What the city should be doing is accommodatingthese diverse religious, cultural and political events that help makeup the zaniness of New York City. But instead of enhancing them, theyare making it a crime.'"