Projo — Why a plane saying that the RI shore isn't private flew over beaches on Saturday

Facebook Dennis Zambrotta: Towed flight banner over South County beaches this morning. New shoreline access law is already creating a buzz.

July 2, 2023

By Antonia Noori Farzan — A small plane with a banner stating, "THE RHODE ISLAND SHORE IS NOT PRIVATE!" flew over South County beaches on Saturday.

"The point is the Rhode Island shore belongs to the Rhode Island public — always did," said Scott Keeley, the activist who organized the demonstration.

Keeley, a Charlestown resident, was famously arrested while gathering seaweed on the beach in front of private homes in 2019. The charges were later dropped, but the incident highlighted the fuzziness around where Rhode Islanders' constitutional right to the shoreline begins and ends.

More: His quest? Walk RI's entire coast — But private property and blocked access are a challenge

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