Draconian: Southampton’s police dept. cracks down on surfing; locals vow mass protest!

Have you ever attended a "surf-in?"

The United States of America’s eastern seaboard is a strange place. As any student of history knows, it was where Puritans from England first landed to set up a colony where they could practice their religion in peace. Things went a little pear-shaped some 150 years later and the descendants of these brave men and women rebelled against the English crown, along with a grab bag of folk from Old Germany, France, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands.

Freedom was won but old ways die hard and many of the towns on that eastern seaboard reflected strange rules and laws from yesteryear. Like, in Maryland it is illegal to wear a sleeveless shirt in a park. In Massachusetts its illegal to own an explosive golf ball. In New Jersey its illegal for a man to knit during fishing season, in Vermont women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth and in Southampton, part of that gilded stretch of New York coastline where the rich and powerful play (think Great Gatsby) it is illegal to surf between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from June 15 – Sept. 15. And let’s turn to the local media for more.

The surfing community was stunned this week when Southampton Village Police began enforcing a section of the village code that prohibits surfing on a nearly 1-mile stretch of beach between Halsey Neck Lane and Old Town Road, and another small stretch at Fowler Lane during the summer months.

In protest of the move, a petition was created in opposition of the village’s ban, and as of Sunday morning, over 1,900 people had signed it.

“Many of us surfers were told by the police that they would tell us to get out of the ocean and give us tickets if we went in,” the petition read, adding that the fine was up to $1,000. “This understandably caused disruptions and concern among those of us who love the sport. Please support the petition to overturn this ban altogether.”

New York’s favorite gossip page, (6) added…

Those who have enjoyed the surf for years — including Coldplay’s Chris Martin — were told they’d get a $1,000 fine if they defied the ban, in place until Sept. 15.

Martin has often been spotted surfing in the area alone and with his kids.

He was also seen Friday at Surf Lodge in Montauk with girlfriend Dakota Johnson.

I like that Chris Martin and Gwenny Paltrow consciously uncoupled so he can be out and about with Dakota Johnson without causing a stir but back to the issue at hand. If you are the petition signing sort you can, and should, pen your name here.

If you are not and a rebel and/or old school activist you should go, surf and get arrested then ballads will be sung in your name.

Ballads like Free Nelson Mandela but likely less moving.