In another example of over-zealous prosecution, two members of a running club are being charged with terror-related offenses for using flour to mark the path of a club outting.
New Haven ophthalmologist Daniel Salchow, 36, and his sister, Dorothee, 31, have been charged with first-degree breach of peace, a felony. The couple were the “hares” who marked the often tricky course with flour and decided to cut through an IKEA parking lot. A call triggered a police response and the charges. In explaining the reaction, the Mayor noted that:
“You see powder connected by arrows and chalk, you never know,” she said. “It could be a terrorist, it could be something more serious. We’re thankful it wasn’t, but there were a lot of resources that went into figuring that out.”
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Having run in Hash House Harriers events (“drinkers with a running problem”), chasing the trail of flour, yelling “On! On!”, it doesn’t surprise me that people freaked out. They usually do. 🙂
But this is an example of ignorance, paranoia, and politics creating an injustice. The Salchows did nothing wrong and did no one harm. The IKEA management and the New Haven police created the problem because of their paranoia and ignorance.
I believe the Salchows are owed an apology for the stress and harm that has been done to them. Indeed, they should seek restitution from the city of New Haven.