Posted on: Friday, December 12, 2003

City drops all charges against protesters of Stryker brigade

Advertiser Staff

The city prosecutor's office has dropped all charges against seven protesters arrested in October for their role in a series of raucous protests against the military's planned Stryker brigade.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said he did not want to draw attention away from the issues surrounding the location of the Army's Stryker brigade in Hawai'i. He said his office has a longstanding agreement with the military when it comes to considering their input on whether to prosecute people arrested at military-sponsored events.

Carlisle said he contacted the Army about the case and they asked that the charges be dropped.

"We spoke to the military and did our own independent evaluation and we decided we could easily accommodate their request," Carlisle said.

Seven protesters were arrested and charged with trespassing at the Helemano Plantation in Wahiaw? and at the private Ho-nolulu Country Club during the week leading up to Oct. 31.

Carlisle said issues such as the environmental impact the Stryker brigade has on Hawai'i should be debated without legal wrangling hanging over the proceedings.