Occupy protesters shed felony charge for PVC possession (Duplicate, linking to original) [View all]

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http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/14/9454279-occupy-protesters-shed-felony-charge-for-pvc-possession

Seven Occupy Houston protesters arrested during port demonstrations cannot be charged with possessing or using a "criminal instrument" – a felony in Texas – for their use of PVC pipe, a judge said Wednesday.

The Houston Police Department made the charge upon breaking up a demonstration at the Port of Houston, conducting in tandem with West Coast port occupations. The demonstrators used PVC “arm tubes” to lock their linked arms together, which prevented police from arresting them, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle. Houston police then called in the Houston Fire Department rescue team, the report said.

The HPD has used the "criminal instrument" against protesters on previous occasions, according to Attorney Randall Kallinen, who is representing one of the seven arrested on the charge. The charge usually does not hold up in court in these cases, but because it is a felony charge it has a chilling effect on would-be activists, he said.