Hate crime targets display 3,000 anti-abortion crosses knocked over
Record Searchlight | 01/18/05 | Kimberly Bolander
 

Four men were charged with a hate crime Monday after allegedly knocking down almost 3,000 white crosses erected by local Christian organizations to symbolize the country's daily abortion rate.

The Hilltop Drive demonstration, in a grassy lot next to Christian Life Center, was vandalized about 3 a.m. Monday, project construction coordinator Steve Fitch said.

"They tore them out of the ground. They threw some of them over the fence and onto the freeway," he said.

A pager led Redding police to arrest friends Michael Lane, 19, of Redding, Clayton Heath, 20, of Anderson, Brian Fitzgerald, 20, of Chico, and Aaron Krzywicki, 20, of Santa Rosa.

The four were booked Monday at the Shasta County jail on suspicion of felony vandalism and a misdemeanor civil rights violation, Sgt. Roger Moore said. No more arrests are expected.

"It is a hate crime. Anytime you infringe on people's civil rights, it's a hate crime,"
 

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