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Gay Rights Activists Arrested at Ham Breakfast Protest

KYFB Protest, wfpl.org

Three gay rights activists were arrested Thursday morning during a protest at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Ham Breakfast and Auction at the fairgrounds.

Activists Chris Hartman, Carla Wallace and a third protester face failure to disperse charges, according to Kentucky State Police. Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, also faces a disorderly conduct charge. The charges are all misdemeanors.

The Fairness Campaign regularly protests the annual event and publishes a list of Kentucky Farm Bureau policies that Fairness says are anti-LGBT and anti-union. The Kentucky Farm Bureau is an organization that provides support for farmers and services such as insurance. 

Credit Amber Duke, ACLU-KY, wfpl.org
Chris Hartman is detained outsideKentucky Ham Breakfast and Auction

The ham breakfast is an event at the Kentucky State Fair that includes political speeches and the charity auction of the fair’s champion ham.

Trooper Paul Blanton, a spokesperson for Kentucky State Police, said Hartman and others were approached by police before the breakfast and told not to disturb the event. The protesters went inside and stood silently once the event began.

“He wanted to go in and disrupt the meeting,” Blanton said of Hartman.

Rebecca Grant, who was among the protesters, said the protesters went inside, sat down at tables and planned to stand up at the same time. She said Hartman stood up and was immediately surrounded by state troopers.

“They pretty much swarmed us,” she said. “They were ready to arrest Chris.”

Michael Aldridge, executive director of the ACLU of Kentucky, was also involved in the protest.

He said the protesters stood up in silent protest and waited to be asked to leave. Aldridge said they didn’t want to get arrested.

“They should have given us a warning,” he said. “They should have walked up to the table and they should have said, ‘OK guys, we need you to leave,’ but unfortunately that didn’t happen.”

Aldridge said lawyers are prepared to fight the charges.

A Kentucky Farm Bureau spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

This story will be updated.

Story source: Laura Ellis, WFPL

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