When Kevin Blacker, the most outspoken critic of the criminally scrutinized State Pier project in New London, headed to last month’s Bond Commission meeting ― for the latest $30 million price increase excuses ― he expected he might be confronted.

Not that he planned to speak, he told me when I spoke to him by phone Friday, but rather just to attend and “witness,” in the language of peace protests, the wrongdoing that he expected to take place.

Blacker brought with him the court order that he stay away from the Capitol building at 210 Capitol Ave., which was imposed after he was arraigned on charges of second-degree breach of peace and second-degree criminal mischief, for allegedly painting pink stripes on the doors of the historic building.

He brought the order because, if confronted, he could show that the order was for the Capitol at 210 Capitol Ave., not 300 Capitol Ave., the Legislative Office Building across the street, where the Bond Commission was meeting.

Lots of people recognized and acknowledged him that day. No one confronted him. He quietly sat in the audience and witnessed the wrongdoing, as the governor threw lots more money down his cesspool of business and ethical failures and possible criminality.

Surely, if anyone in the Capitol Police force had spotted Blacker and believed him to be in violation of the stay-away court order, they would have confronted him. They didn’t.

But on Friday, when Blacker turned up for a routine appearance on the misdemeanor charges from his May Capitol protest, the prosecutor stood up before the judge to accuse him of violating the stay-away order.

The Capitol Police, the prosecutor said, had notified his office of Blacker’s appearance at the Bond Commission meeting.

Before the judge could consider penalties for violating the order, Blacker explained that the hearing was held in a different building. The prosecutor then asked for the judge to extend the order to the LOB building, and he agreed.

We’ll probably never know who dropped a dime on Blacker and tried to get him in more hot water for violating the court order, but I could make some educated guesses. I won’t here.

The notice to the prosecutors came from Capitol Police, who would certainly have acted promptly if they saw a violation in progress. Someone ― probably angry about Blacker’s protests ― almost certainly recognized Blacker in attendance and later notified Capitol Police.

It was also probably someone with enough clout that the Capitol Police, after the fact, reported to prosecutors Blacker’s quiet and routine attendance at the Bond Commission hearing.

I know many people feel that peaceful protests like Blacker’s, to call out wrongdoing they believe is not otherwise being addressed, is wrong. Indeed, Blacker acknowledges what he did and is prepared for the consequences in court.

He’s already sent a check for $600 to cover the damage to the doors, which police estimated at just over $400.

But everyone should be alarmed about the way that the Lamont administration and its designees have used the criminal system to try to silence a critic like Blacker.

Before one Transportation Committee hearing in the LOB building, after Blacker had sent an email criticizing the governor, he was met by plain-clothes officers, interviewed in a windowless room and escorted from the building. He was never accused of a crime and didn’t get to testify that day.

Shortly thereafter, he got a call from the head of State Police asking for a meeting. Talk about intimidation.

Now, because of some likely intervention by some influential person, he is prohibited from attending any routine government business in the LOB building.

This is Russia-style justice.

After his first protest, painting state signs near State Pier pink, Connecticut Port Authority Chairman David Kooris reported to police that the damage to the signs was in excess of the threshold making the crime a felony. Blacker was arrested by the Major Crime Squad, of all things.

The Department of Transportation, which owns the signs, corrected the mistaken amount reported by Kooris ―who had no connection to the damage to state property ― and the charge was dropped from a felony to misdemeanor.

That incident occurred almost three years ago. Blacker is still waiting for the jury trial he requested.

It’s important to remember that the corrupt leaders at the Connecticut Port Authority, before Blacker came to be harassed in the criminal justice system, offered the critic a consulting job.

He turned it down, saying he was totally unqualified, which they knew, and hasn’t shut up since.

This is the opinion of David Collins.

d.collins@theday.com