PARISHVILLE -- Green Party congressional candidate Donald Hassig of Colton says that Parishville Town Justice Frank Dunning has dismissed a trespass charge made against him in July.

Hassig had gone to the town park to campaign and make a presentation about pollution and cancer which “involved placing a three-fold display board on a bench at the edge of the water and dancing at the far edge of the beach.”

Hassig said that Parishville’s recreation director Jeff Woods had called him and told him he could not conduct his presentation at the park. When Hassig showed up anyway, state police were called and when Hassig refused to leave he was charged with trespassing.

“Everyone that heard my story about being arrested for trespassing in a public park for educating children about an avoidable cancer hazard made the same response: ‘How can it be trespassing when it was in a public place?’” Hassig said.

“It wasn't trespassing. The Parishville Town Court has confirmed this,” Hassig said. “The New York State Police gave me an unlawful order when they told me to leave the Parishville Town Park. I knew that their order was unlawful and that is why I refused to leave.”

Hassig is running under the Green Party banner to challenge Democratic incumbent Bill Owns and Republican candidate Matt Doheny for the 21st Congressional District seat.