Two Naperville mothers were arrested
Wednesday, after they tried to block utility workers from installing new “smart
meters.”
CBS 2’s Dana Kozlov reports one of those women was released from
custody late Wednesday afternoon, the other was still in custody, but should be
released soon.
Their arrests were the culmination of a two-year battle against
“smart meter” installation in Naperville.
At Jenn Stahl’s home in Naperville, officers were forced to cut
open a lock on her back gate to allow crews to get in to access her meter, when
she refused to open the gate herself.
“It’s new technology. It’s city property. The city’s allowed to upgrade
their technology, upgrade their equipment, and that’s what the city’s doing,”
an officer explained to Stahl.
The officer said Stahl’s proper recourse was to take her case to
the courts, or to file a complaint with the city. He said the utility workers
were just following directions to replace old meters with new “smart meters.”
“But it’s more than what I consent to do. And I’m fully aware of
what the new functions of the meter do, and I don’t consent to that,” Stahl
said.
“No matter where you move, no matter what jurisdiction you move
into, you agree to all that stuff. If you’re in the city of Chicago, or the
city of Elgin, or wherever you’re at – the city of Naperville – that’s city
property,” the officer said. “The law allows it.”
“That doesn’t make it right,” Stahl said before officers cut the
lock on her gate and utility crews went in to install a new “smart meter.”
When Stahl stood in front of her old meter to block the crews,
she was arrested for interfering with a police officer. After officers slapped
the cuffs on her, she said, “This is supposed to be America, and people are
supposed to have the right to protect their property.”
Several hundred Naperville residents oppose the wireless “smart
meters,” citing concerns about possible health problems that might be caused by
the meters’ wireless signal, which is always on. They have said studies show
the RF signal could be dangerous, when combined with other RF frequencies
already in existence.
They have been battling Naperville authorities over the issue
since 2011.
At other homes, Naperville utility workers hopped fences onto
private property to install the meters over homeowners’ objections.
Kim Bendis filmed utility workers at her home as she told them
to leave, but they started replacing her meter anyway
“Get off my property right now,” she said. When a worker began
cutting open a locking device over the meter, Bendis started shouting.
“No. No. Get off,” she said. “You are not allowed on my
property. Get off my property right now.”
Hours later, she was arrested while shooting video of police
officers outside Stahl’s house.
When officers told her to stop her audio recording of them, she
refused, and she was arrested.
“We are trying to protect our property. We are trying to
advocate for residents who are trying to say no to a product that is being
debated all around the country,” Kim Bendis said before her arrest. “The only
recourse we have is to document on film.”
Naperville City Manager Doug Krieger said the city is within its
legal rights to install the “smart meters” on private property, replacing old
meters which are also their property. Krieger also said the meters are safe.
Krieger said Stahl and Bendis deserved to be arrested if they
violated the law, but it was not immediately clear what charges the women
faced.
Opponents of the “smart meters” also have cited security
concerns, because the meters are capable of tracking exactly when a customer is
using electricity, and opponents fear it would allow strangers to know when
they are home, or gone at work. Some fear hackers could access that
information.
He said the city intends to finish installing the “smart meters”
this month, and denied accusations from opponents of the new meters that the
city is bullying them.
“We absolutely are not bullies. I believe we’ve bent over
backwards to accommodate them,” Krieger said.
Krieger said homeowners who object to the “smart meters” have
been given the option to receive non-wireless versions, but many said they
still don’t trust the security of those devices.
There’s a pending federal lawsuit against Naperville about the
meters, as well. Homeowners who are part of the suit said Naperville officials
shouldn’t proceed with “smart meter” installations while the case is pending.
Krieger, however, said the meters are funded in part through an
$11 million federal grant, that requires them to complete the installation. He
said the lawsuit could drag on for years, “and we don’t have that much time.”
Source: www.stopsmartmeters.org January 23, 2013 5:37 PMUpdated 01/23/13 – 9:25 p.m. NAPERVILLE (CBS) –
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