Cirignano back in court, rally videos on the web

Larry Cirignano, former executive director of Catholic Citizenship, was back in Worcester District Court May 1 for a further arraignment on charges of misdemeanor assault and battery and civil rights violations, following his plea of not guilty April 11.

Judge Robert Gardner ordered Cirignano to come back June 8 for a pre-trial hearing. Cirignano, who now resides in Virginia, is being represented by Walpole attorney Alexander Matulewicz.

The charges against Cirignano stem from an alleged altercation with Sarah Loy, a same-sex marriage supporter, during a VoteOnMarriage.org rally at Worcester City Hall Dec. 16. The rally was held in support of the organization's constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, and Cirignano, who was one of the lead organizers of the signature campaign on behalf of that amendment, spoke at that rally. Loy and other witnesses allege that when she ventured into the crowd holding a sign in support of same-sex marriage, Cirignano shoved her to the ground.

The anti-gay group MassResistance, which was not involved in the rally, posted videos last week taken by an unidentified VoteOnMarriage.org supporter who filmed the rally. MassResistance's website states that the videos bolster Cirignano's claim that Loy faked her fall, but none of the videos show the alleged altercation itself. One video, taken immediately after the altercation, shows Loy lying on the pavement, nearly on the verge of tears and visibly angry. The video also shows her and other same-sex marriage supporters speaking with a police officer and pointing towards the stage to indicate her alleged assailant (Cirignano is not visible on the video). Loy tells the officer she wants to press charges, and he reassures her that the police will "take care of it" but orders her and the other same-sex marriage supporters to cross to the other side of the street away from the VoteOnMarriage.org crowd.