Nine arrested at BIW christening Saturday

Sat, 04/01/2017 - 1:00pm

    At about 10 a.m. Saturday, nine protesters were taken into custody and charged with Criminal Trespassing, a Class E Crime, after allegedly refusing to leave Bath Iron Works property.

    Arrested were Nataly Mayers, 70, of Whitefield; Jason Rawn, 43, of Lincolnville; Mark Roman of Solon; Bruce Gagnon, 64, of Bath; Russell Wray, 61, of Hancock; Robert Dale, 92, of Brunswick;  Michael Tork, 69, of Falmouth, Massachusetts; Jessica Stewart, 37, of Bass Harbor; and Lisa Savage, 60, of Solon.

    BIW was christening the USS Hudner April 1. Those arrested were part of a group engaged in an organized protest on the corner of Washington and Spring streets. The protesters were from Maine Veterans for Peace and the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. 

    BIW was letting people enter the facility at an event gate just south of the company’s south gate.

    Nine of the protesters attempted to enter the event. They had peace signs displayed as they attempted to gain entrance. BIW security stopped them, but the protesters remained on the property. After a few minutes, BIW officials advised all nine they needed to leave. Then, Bath Police Lt. Robert Savary warned them they needed to leave or would be arrested for trespassing. The nine remained and were arrested and charged with Criminal Trespassing.

    They were transported in a Sagadahoc County corrections van to the Bath Police Department, where they were booked and later released on bail. All were cooperative. They received a court date of May 16 in West Bath District Court.