Community Corner

Hartford Man Arrested For 'Suicide' Protest Sign at Manchester Road Race

Witnesses said the man was upset about losing his job at United Technologies.


This article first appeared on Manchester Patch.

A 53-year old Hartford man was arrested last Thursday at the start/finish line of after police say he was holding up a protest sign bearing the word “suicide” and jumped onto the course shortly after the start of the race.

According to Cpt. Chris Davis of the Manchester Police Department, Andrew R. Elliot, of 44 Standish St., Hartford, attended the race on the morning of Nov. 24 holding a protest sign bearing the words “UTC” and “Suicide.”

Davis said that Elliot had gotten into several “verbal spats” with runners and spectators prior to the race, and that police told him that he could continue to protest at the race but could not do anything to obstruct the runners or the racecourse in anyway.

Davis said that Elliot walked out onto Main Street directly in front of the race’s start/finish line when the race begun and was obstructing runners, causing the runners to bump into one another in order to avoid him. Davis said police arrested Elliot about a minute or two after the start of the race.

Elliot was charged with first-degree criminal trespass and creating a public disturbance. He was released on a $1,000 surety bond.

Several spectators at the race said they saw and heard Elliot protesting along Main Street prior to the start of the race and that he seemed to be disgruntled about losing a job with United Technologies.

Court documents listed Elliot as “unemployed.”

Kelly Luxenberg, a Democratic member of the Board of Education, said she saw Elliot being pulled off the racecourse by police shortly after the start of the race, and that he was standing with his protest sign several feet in front of the start/finish line while the race’s elite runners were trying to make their was past him.

Manchester Police declined to make the warrant for Elliot’s arrest available.

Elliot did not return a call seeking comment Thursday. He is scheduled to appear in Manchester Superior Court on the charges Dec. 6.


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