Protesters Fined
A few hours before two of the first protestors appeared in East Hampton Town Justice Court yesterday morning on charges of disorderly conduct for refusing to move away from the Army Corps construction site on the downtown Montauk ocean beach, Kim Wells became the 14th protester arrested.
Judge Steven Tekulsky gave Bess Rattray and Lisa Spellman maximum fines of $250 each, which came to $375 with fees. They were represented in court by Carl Irace, the East Hampton attorney representing Defend H2O and others who have brought suit to stop the project. A number of other protestors have court dates in December, and Mr. Irace has offered his services pro bono to all of them.
Ongoing civil disobedience actions and rallies on the beach have attracted the attention of regional television news. News12 Long Island and ABC’s Eyewitness News sent camera crews to the beach and to Town Hall on Tuesday, with interviews and news reports airing that night.