PD: elderly man arrested for anti-gay shirt dispute

WOLCOTT, Conn. (WTNH) -- An elderly man was arrested after causing disturbances at two local schools over an anti-gay t-shirt.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. Wednesday at schools in Plymouth and Wolcott.

Police said the elderly man, later identified as 68-year-old Derrell Rice, first went to Plymouth Center School on North St., and rang the buzzer to be let in. When questioned through the intercom as to why he was there, Rice said he was there to register his granddaughter for school.

Rice was met at the door by school personnel. He then began to express his displeasure with the school department for allowing an anti-gay shirt to be worn in school, police said.

School personnel told Rice that the shirt incident happened in Wolcott and not Plymouth.

Rice then drove away. Police said a short time later they received a call from the Wolcott School Department that a man fitting Rice's description was there and wanted to be let in.

When officers arrived, they asked why Rice was there and he stated that he wanted to speak to the superintendent of schools because he didn't agree with his allowing an anti-gay shirt to be worn.

The superintendent sat down with Rice and told him that he understood his concerns and that the decision was based on the first amendment, as well as school policy.

Police said when the conversation was over, Rice refused to leave and said he was going to the high school to tell everyone what was going on.

"We will not tolerate, especially after Newtown, but even before. If you don't belong on school grounds, you're going to get off one way or another. You're either going to go by yourself, if you know, it was a mistake, or if something happened where you're causing a problem, you're going to be arrested. We're not going to tolerate, risk anyone getting upset, any students, any parents, we're going to take action immediately, which we did here," said Chief Edward Stephens, Wolcott Police Dept.

Rice was then arrested for breach of peace and first-degree criminal trespass.

Bond was set at $1,000.

Additionally, Rice was also charged with breach of peace by Plymouth Police.