Pictured is Green Party congressional candidate Donald Hassig protesting at the Seaway Festival in Ogdensburg recently. (Photo by Nate LaShomb)

GOUVERNEUR -- Just days after being arrested for dancing and “educating” at the Parishville Town Park, Green Party congressional candidate Don Hassig of Colton plans to perform tonight at the Gouverneur & St. Lawrence County Fair.

The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on the grandstand stage.

“I have created an original dance piece titled, ‘Stop Abusing Our Mother or We the People Will Force You to Stop,’ he said in a prepared statement. “I will perform this piece in the talent show event at the St. Lawrence County Fair. The talent show stage is a wonderful free speech venue.”

Monday, the long-time activist was arrested for trespassing after Parishville town officials told him not to perform or demonstrate in the park. For more details, view story at http://northcountrynow.com/news/green-party-congressional-candidate-long-time-activist-arrested-educating-and-dancing-parishvil

"I am a strong believer in the power of dancing and music to move people higher. I deeply value my freedom of speech,” said Hassig, who is a long-shot candidate running for the new 21st district seat against incumbent Democrat Bill Owens and GOP challenger Matt Doheny.

“I am hopeful that the audience will join into this performance by chanting, ‘We love our Mother. We will protect her now’ and ‘Stop abusing our Mother now or we will force you to stop.’"

He continued, “This is one more step on the path of the American people rising up to bring an end to the corporate destruction of Nature.

“I love the Earth Mother. She has given all of us so much. She has suffered a terrible onslaught of abuses during the brief history of the industrial age,” said Hassig’s statement announcing his talent show performance.

“The oil and gas companies are harming our Mother the Earth far beyond what is acceptable. The use of high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) to drill oil and gas wells is an extremely polluting activity. This must be stopped. I support a total ban on HVHF in the United States.”