By Associated Press, 3/10/03

GUILDERLAND, N.Y. -- A fired mall security guard has some unlikely supporters -- peace protesters.

Robert Williams was fired from his job at a suburban Albany mall following the arrest of an anti-war protester.

Williams told lawyer Stephen Downs to take off a T-shirt that read "Give Peace a Chance." Downs, 61, was charged with trespassing a week ago after refusing to leave the mall or remove the anti-war shirt.

On Sunday, about 100 protesters returned to Crossgates mall, urging that Williams be rehired. Downs says there was no justification to fire Williams, who was professional and polite.

Protest leaders said they met with mall management for almost two hours but reached no resolution on their demands.

There were no arrests reported in Sunday's peaceful protest, monitored by Guilderland police and security guards.

A call to Crossgates offices Sunday wasn't immediately returned to the Daily Gazette of Schenectady.