Principled skater takes jail time over fine (breen arrives.mov)

A 25-year-old Fredericton man is behind bars today after surrendering to police.

His crime?

Skateboarding on the streets.

Lee Breen was originally ticketed in the summer of 2007 for skateboarding on the streets of Fredericton. This was after receiving several warnings about Bylaw S-9, which makes it illegal to use a sled, toboggan, wagon or skateboard on the streets of New Brunswick's capital.

"I was skating on King St. in Fredericton (and) was actually going to buy my brother a skateboard helmet," he said yesterday. "(When) I saw the police car, I jumped off my board. The officer who pulled over and approached me had actually given me a warning the day before."

Breen, a local businessman who has no previous criminal record, said he politely told the officer he wasn't going to pay the fine or stop skateboarding.

In April, a judge increased the fine to $100 and gave him the choice of paying it or spending five days in jail.

Breen decided he'd rather be locked up.

"I won't pay because I believe I'm following the Fredericton Green Matters campaign in finding alternative transportation with my skateboard," he said yesterday at a rally in support of him at city hall.

"If I pay the fine, I would be admitting I was doing something wrong."

About 120 people – including two-dozen skateboarders – later accompanied Breen as he turned himself in at the courthouse.

The city's Green Matters campaign includes a section encouraging people to find a "greener" way to commute.

Breen, who uses only zero-emission transportation and runs a lawn care business using only push mowers, hand clippers and organic compost, said skateboards should fall under the category of "human-powered travel."

"I'll be doing a lot push-ups, I guess," he said. "It's my first trip to jail so I'm not sure what to expect."

Justice officials said Breen could be released as early as last night, mainly because the offence is not that serious.