Two men preparing to carry crosses charged with disorderly conduct
Rhea County Commission takes Gay Day stand
By KELLI SAMANTHA HEWETT
Staff Writer
DAYTON, Tenn. — Before they could get one of their trademark 10-foot wooden crosses fastened together, two men were arrested by Dayton police officers on charges of disorderly conduct at yesterday's Gay Day gathering.
The men often travel the nation and the world preaching and carrying the crosses to bring attention to Christianity. They say they are happy for the publicity about their cause.
Brian Charles O'Connell, 46, of Crystal River, Fla., and his friend Michael Joseph Siemer, 41, of Chattanooga, were each freed after posting $500 bond at the Rhea County Jail. They were charged with disorderly conduct, interfering with a special event and refusing to disperse after police asked them to leave, according to jail officials.
Their court dates are set for Friday. Police say eight other Gay Day demonstrators left quietly.
''This is the first time I've been arrested for being a Christian,'' Siemer said after his release at about 1 p.m. ''I think it's a really bad thing that we can be arrested for expressing our views.''
Siemer is a part-time carpenter and bodyguard who wears his dark hair and beard long and flowing, similar to depictions of Jesus.
O'Connell was dressed in a white tunic, tied at the waist with a white-and-gold braided rope, and a Jesus baseball cap.
The men say they are nondenominational Christians who wanted to promote Christianity, and answer questions about the ''sin'' of homosexuality if anyone asked them.
The pair also are fluent in court decisions and laws about peaceful assembly on public property. Siemer's 14-year-old daughter, Mary, captured part of the arrest on video, about an hour after Gay Day events began at Dayton's Point Park.
After his release, Siemer passed out religious tracts to his bail bondsman, members of the Sheriff's Department and the media.
Both also expressed concern because they say they were arrested on private property, across the highway from the gathering at the park, and without being read their Miranda rights.
They say they never had the chance to share their message.
Siemer said he plans to file a complaint against Dayton Police Chief Kenneth Walker.
''They wanted to go down to protest, and we told them they couldn't,'' Walker said.
The chief declined to discuss the reading of the men's rights.
''They were arrested, that's it,'' Walker said. ''They don't need to try their case here; they should try it in court.''