“I love New York, and I show my love for New York every day by selling these t-shirts,” Larry Wagner, 67 and wheelchair-bound, said in a statement. “I’ve been selling these same shirts for more than two years – I had no idea they were counterfeit.”

The statement sent out by the Street Vendor Project said Mr. Wagner, who has worked as a vendor for the last four years, was selling t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts from his table at Little West Street and Battery Place when an undercover police officer arrived.

"The officer identified about two dozen of Wagner’s eight dozen shirts as fake, telling him 'you’re under arrest,' and placing Wagner in the police van nearby," the statement said. "Over Wagner’s protest, the officer refused to take Wagner’s wheelchair with him to the precinct."

When Mr. Wagner asked the officer how to identify whether an "I ♥ NY" shirt was counterfeit, he claims the cop told him it was “a secret.” Mr. Wagner, who said he has never been arrested before claims he suffered back pain without his wheelchair for support in the cell. He also said he was not permitted to call his wife, who was extremely scared when he did not appear at home on schedule.

“I don’t understand how we are supposed to know what is counterfeit,” said Mr. Wagner who claims he purchased the shirts from a supplier in Brooklyn. “I fought for my country and now they are putting me behind bars for doing nothing wrong.”

The iconic "I ♥ NY" was designed in 1977 by ad man Milton Glaser, who did the work pro bono because, in his words, "it was of benefit to the state." Though the state got the logo for free, in the years since, New York has copyrighted the design and gone to great lengths to protect the logo, which generates over $30 million a year. In 2001, Mr. Glaser himself received a cease and desist letter from the company overseeing the "I ♥ NY" trademark after he created a modified version of the logo for a campaign commemorating the September 11th attacks called "I Love New York More Than Ever."

A 19th century law meant to help soldiers returning from the Civil War allows disabled veterans to work as street vendors in New York City without many of the restrictions placed on others who want to sell their wares in the streets. Sean Basinski an attorney and director of the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center has vowed to accompany Mr. Wagner to his court appearance on July 25.

“We’ll fight these charges,” Mr. Basinski said. “In the meantime, we hope the NYPD will focus on finding real criminals, not hard-working patriots like Mr. Wagner who are committing no crime and keeping tourists happy.”

A spokeswoman for the NYPD declined to comment on this story.

President Barack Obama (Photo: Getty)

This morning, President Barack Obama spoke to a group of soldiers, veterans and family members of fallen troops gether at Arlington National Cemetary for Memorial Day. The president took note of the fact this is the first Memorial Day in nine years since the end of the Iraq War.

"For the first time in nine years, Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq.  We are winding down the war in Afghanistan, and our troops will continue to come home," he said. "After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon."

President Obama thanked the families at Arlington who lost loved ones fighting for this country.

"I cannot begin to fully understand your loss. As a father, I cannot begin to imagine what it’s like to hear that knock on the door and learn that your worst fears have come true," said the president.

In a clear reference to the controversy that surrounded the Iraq War, the president also pledged not to commit American soldiers to fight a war in the future without reason and "a clear mission."

"As Commander-In-Chief, I can tell you that sending our troops into harm’s way is the most wrenching decision that I have to make," he said. "I can promise you I will never do so unless it's absolutely necessary, and that when we do, we must give our troops a clear mission and the full support of a grateful nation."

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney marked the Memorial Day holiday today with the release of a new web video entitled "Thank You" in which he praises veterans and pledges to "keep America strong, and worthy of the great sacrifice of America’s veterans."

"We rightly call our fathers and mothers the greatest generation, but every woman and every man who has or now defends amer liberty share in their heritage of greatness every veteran is the greatest of his generation," Mr. Romney says in the video. "It’s time for us to come together and to carry our message across this country, we’re restoring those principles that made America the great nation that it is."

Mr. Romney is campaigning with Senator John McCain today and he issued a statement along with his video saying Mr. McCain's experience in the Vietnam War is emblematic of the type of heroism that should be on our minds this holiday.

"I am honored to be celebrating Memorial Day this year with John McCain. I don’t have to tell John’s story; the world already knows it. But it is what today’s holiday is all about: sacrifice, valor, honor, courage, and love of country," said Mr. Romney. "A lot of young Americans are risking their lives in distant battlefields today. Memorial Day is a day to give thanks to them, and to remember all of America’s soldiers who have laid down their lives to defend our country. As we enjoy our barbecues with friends and families and loved ones, let’s keep them in our thoughts and in our prayers."

President Barack Obama will be spending Memorial Day giving speeches at Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. A new Gallup poll of the presidential race shows Mr. Romney has a strong 58 percent to 34 percent lead against President Obama with veterans, who are about 13 percent of the electorate.

Watch Mr. Romney's Memorial Day web video below.

Councilman Gentile (Photo: Facebook)

New Yorkers may be celebrating the New York Giants Super Bowl win in the streets today, but Councilman Vinnie Gentile, who sits on the Council’s Committee on Veterans, is asking why New York City isn't hosting a parade for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan as well.

“I think we can all agree that the New York Giants deserve a parade for winning the Super Bowl,” he said in a statement. “I’ll be there today cheering them on along with everyone else. But if a football team gets a parade, shouldn’t our veterans? Are they not the real giants here?”

Mr. Gentile joins a number of others in calling for a parade honoring these veterans, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg doesn't currently seem inclined to push for the parade. He cites a request from military officials concerned about a celebration while troops are still in harm's way abroad.

However, given the popularity of honoring veterans, the calls for the parade could continue to grow.

“Not only is it the right thing to do," Mr. Gentile added. "it’s the least we can do for these brave men and women to honor the sacrifices they’ve made to protect our freedom abroad.”