January 27, 2004 -- Seven Williamsburg residents went on trial yesterday for occupying their neighborhood firehouse last May to protest its closing, insisting they weren't trespassing because a firefighter left a door open for them.
"Someone in the Fire Department left that door open," said defendant Constance Lesold. "It was purposely done. We might as well have been invited in."
The so-called Williamsburg Seven were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct after they occupied Engine 212 on May 25, the day the city closed it, along with five other engine companies.
They face a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail.
The seven say that not only weren't they trespassing, they weren't disorderly.
Fire Marshal Joseph Ricca, who arrested them, agreed, saying they were peaceful.
"They were just sitting there. There was no resistance whatsoever," said the marshal, who was testifying for the prosecution.
The seven suffered a setback when Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge James Burke barred them from using the argument that people are entitled to break the law in the case of an emergency.
Defense attorney Norman Siegel contended that closing the firehouse constituted an emergency because FDNY response time would rise sharply, making it more likely that people would die in a fire.
Assistant District Attorney Danielle Eaddy disagreed, saying the increase in response time was speculative and didn't demonstrate imminent danger.
The city closed the six fire companies to help close a budget gap.
