The Hanover Co-op Food Store was recently the site of an impromptu demonstration, protesting the arrest of Dartmouth French professor Vivian Kogan, who was charged with shoplifting last February. Martha Luehrmann Tu'77, a former Upper Valley resident and a friend of Kogan, was arrested on charges of criminal trespassing after picketing in front of the Co-op on June 14.
Kogan was arrested last February at the Hanover Co-op Food Store, accused of stealing $65 worth of dietary supplements. Kogan, who is scheduled to be in court later this month, has asserted that the theft was entirely unintentional.
Leuhrmann, a resident of Berkeley, Calif., who was visiting the Upper Valley last week for a computer symposium at Dartmouth, believes the charges against Kogan are unfair.
"I just couldn't believe that the Co-op would press charges," Leuhrmann said in an interview with the Valley News.
Leuhrmann was unavailable for comment to The Dartmouth.
Leuhrmann held a sign that read "Co-op Bullies Old Ladies" as she picketed outside of the Hanover Co-op, where she hoped to attract the attention of General Manager Terry Appleby. The Hanover Co-op houses the headquarters of the Co-op Food Store company, which has several stores in the Upper Valley area.
After Leuhrmann refused the requests of a store manager and store employee to leave the parking lot, Hanover Police were called and Leuhrmann was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing.
According to Appleby the Co-op has a policy of neutrality, meaning that no demonstrations or picketing can take place on store property.
"Generally, if someone shows up with signs in front of our stores, we tell them about the policy and they usually move their protest to the sidewalk," Appleby said. "After it became obvious through conversations with Leuhrmann that she was not going to leave and abide by our policy, the Hanover Police were called."
Leuhrmann refused requests to move her protest as she cited a 1960s court case in which anti-war protesters won the right to demonstrate at public gathering spaces. Hanover Police Chief Nick Giaccone said that according to New Hampshire State Law, Leuhrmann's refusal to leave the property warranted her arrest.
"She was obstinate and refused to acquiesce to the demands of the Co-op management and police officer to take her protest from private property to public property," Giaccone said. "She was given several warnings that if she didn't move her protest she would be arrested."
"If I had had my wits about me, when the officer came, I probably would have moved to the street," Leuhrmann told the Valley News. "But I am an old lady, and I do get flustered."
Leuhrmann returned to picket outside the Co-op each of the three days following her arrest, but kept her demonstration to the sidewalk.
Hanover resident Anne Segal walked with Leuhrmann during Saturday's protest, carrying a sign that read, "Co-op: Where people get together arrested." The word "together" had a line through it.
Segal, who has lived in Hanover and been a member of the Co-op since 1962, had read of Leuhrmann's arrest in the Valley News the previous day and decided to join her.
"I went to walk with Martha since I've known her for years and years and I just couldn't believe that they took her away in handcuffs," Segal said. "I couldn't believe that my Co-op was somehow involved in what I thought was a very aggressive act, and of course I'm also disturbed that the charges against Vivian Kogan are still pending."
During Saturday's protest, a middle-aged female Co-op member, who withheld her name, thanked the picketers for their efforts. She said that this was not how she wanted a company she was a part of to behave.
Kogan told the Valley News that although she did not ask for this protest, she appreciates the support.
In regards to Kogan's February arrest, Appleby said that the Co-op has a policy about calling police when there has been an incident of concealment. Once Kogan was arrested, the case became the jurisdiction of the Hanover Police and county prosecutor.
"We were following our policy around concealments," Appleby said. "I don't have any judgment; that's for the court to decide."
