http://www.timesofisrael.com/man-faces-trial-after-criticizing-israel-policy-at-dennis-ross-panel/
Jewish man faces trial after criticizing Israel policy at Dennis Ross panel
Kansas City library officials ‘outraged’ that prosecutors are charging audience member simply ‘for asking questions’
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The executive director
the Kansas City library system says he is “outraged” that prosecutors
continue to pursue charges against a man who was arrested after asking
pointed questions during a library discussion about the Middle East
peace process and an employee who tried to intervene.
Although
the arrests occurred in May following a speech by author and diplomat
Dennis Ross, the library system only recently went public about its
opposition to charges, the Kansas City Star reported.
R. Crosby Kemper III, executive director of
the city’s library system, said “we’re going to be living in a different
kind of country” if people can be arrested for asking questions at a
library. “If this kind of behavior is unacceptable to the police, then I
guess we’re going to have to shut the library down.”
Issues arose after Ross finished speaking and
took a question from Jeremy Rothe-Kushel concerning whether Jewish
Americans like Rothe-Kushel should be concerned about actions by the US
and Israel that amount to “state-sponsored terrorism.”
“When are we going to stand up and be ethical Jews and Americans?” Rothe-Kushel asked.
When Rothe-Kushel tried to ask another
question, a private security guard grasped his arm, followed by an
off-duty police officer, both employed by the Jewish Community
Foundation. Rothe-Kushel then shouted, “Get your hands off of me right
now!”
Steve Woolfolk, director of public programming for the library, tried to intervene. Both men were arrested by off-duty officers.
“Every police officer who was on duty that
evening was very communicative and respectful,” Rothe-Kushel said. But
he said he would have left if he had been asked to and given the chance
to do so.
Kansas City police spokeswoman Capt. Stacey
Graves said off-duty officers hired by the event sponsor acted properly
in helping private security stop an audience member from asking
follow-up questions.
Rothe-Kushel is charged in city court with
trespassing and resisting arrest. Woolfolk is charged with interfering
with an arrest. Woolfolk said he suffered a torn medial collateral
ligament in his knee when a police officer kneed him in the leg.
Kemper said the private security guards had no right to remove a patron for asking a question.
Ross’ speech was the inaugural Truman and
Israel Lecture, established by the Truman Library Institute and the
Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
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