Lo arrestaron por lucir una camiseta de la paz.

By DAMITA CHAMBERS
Associated Press Writer

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- A man was charged with trespassing in a mall after he
refused

to take off a T-shirt that said "Peace on Earth" and "Give peace a chance."

Mall security approached Stephen Downs, 61, and his 31-year-old son, Roger, on

Monday night after they were spotted wearing the T-shirts at Crossgates Mall in
a suburb

of Albany, the men said.

The two said they were asked to remove the shirts made at a store there, or
leave the mall.

They refused.

The guards returned with a police officer who repeated the ultimatum. The son
took his

T-shirt off, but the father refused. "'I said, `All right then, arrest me if
you have to,'" Downs said.

"So that's what they did. They put the handcuffs on and took me away."

Downs pleaded innocent to the charges Monday night. The New York Civil
Liberties Union

said it would help with his case if asked.

Police Chief James Murley said his officers were just responding to a complaint
by mall security.

"We don't care what they have on their shirts, but they were asked to leave the
property, and

it's private property," Murley said.

A mall spokeswoman did not return calls Tuesday seeking comment.

Monday's arrest came less than three months after about 20 peace activists
wearing

similar T-shirts were told to leave by mall security and police. There were no
arrests.