Gas Price Protest Singer Arrested At Ind. Convenience Store

[Miranda]

May 6, 2008

VALPARAISO, Ind. - A man with a guitar and a megaphone climbed atop a convenience store roof to serenade commuters with his musical protest of high gasoline prices — until police halted the impromptu concert.

Once atop the roof of the Family Express store Monday, and above pumps dispensing fuel at $3.78 per gallon, Jay Weinberg, 29, performed his ditty called "Price Gouge'n."

Dozens of supporters chanted: "I can't afford it. I'm banging on my dashboard. I can't believe they think I'm a fool."

The performance lasted about 15 minutes before three police officers arrived and arrested Weinberg on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. Police said he was cooperative.

The crowd, made up of Weinberg's friends and other people who just happened to be pumping gas, continued singing. Then some, including his wife, Danielle, drove to Porter County Jail to bail him out.

Weinberg left the building around 7:30 p.m. and was greeted with cheers.

[pomba gira]

I heard that story this morning & it pissed me off... so typical for people to focus on a convenient scapegoat rather than the ultimate culprits. The station owners don't make all that much $$... most of their profits come from the chips & soda. On the other hand, oil companies have been raking in unheard of profits for the past few years. If anything dude should've been raising hell out in front of Exxon headquarters, not fucking up business for some local merchant.

[torn asunder]

i just loved the fact that some of those customers went down & bailed him out!! misguided or not, i als dig the fact that he stood up for his beliefs, took a stand & said something about the prices! sure he could have found a more effective way to do it (headquarters, for example) but c'mon - how many of us would have the guts to do what hee did!?

way ta go, man!!!

[Homicidalheathen]

There goes my plan to strap myself naked to a gas filling tank and rant about gas prices. So much for peaceful protest.

Would prob get labelled a terrorist and be locked in a dungeon.