Hollywood legend CHARLTON HESTON visited Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and half of the audience wore black.

It wasn't a fashion statement. Much of the thousand-strong crowd was protesting the appearance by Heston, president of the NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The actor told students Tuesday (19SEPT00) to ignore political agendas in favour of freedom. Heston told the students, "When you call a friend and tell them to vote for freedom first, your words will echo in the spirit of PATRICK HENRY and THOMAS PAINE. "They won our freedom with bullets so we could defend our freedom with ballots."

Heston spoke for fewer than 15 minutes and left without answering questions. Protesters laid out 178 pairs of shoes to represent the number of Minnesotans killed by gun violence in 1999. (PDD/WNWINF)

Source: WENN