WEARE, N.H. (AP) – Activists who want U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter to pay a personal price for ruling New London, Conn., could seize private property for a development project rallied Sunday in Souter’s small hometown, arguing the town should take Souter’s home to build a hotel.

Their leader also urged the group to be ready to head to Connecticut on a moment’s notice to try to save homes in line to be destroyed.

“We need to be ready to surround the homes,” said organizer Logan Clements of Los Angeles. “We have to have a set of minutemen to stop the bulldozers.”

Clements was greeted by rousing applause from about 60 people who attended Sunday’s rally, some coming from as far away as Texas and Pennsylvania.

He said the five Supreme Court justices who sided with the Connecticut city on the eminent domain controversy “shot a hole in the Constitution.” He said opponents should organize nationwide and vote officials out of office if they push similar projects.

Doug Schwartz, of New London, Conn., urged the crowd on. He said eminent domain problems have plagued the city for decades.

Clements said he and volunteers gathered 188 signatures Saturday in support of having the town take Souter’s home so the property could be turned into a hotel – the “Hotel Lost Liberty.”

Souter has declined to comment.

William Deans, of Allentown, Pa., said he joined the effort because Allentown officials are dealing with urban blight by seizing homes and property in his neighborhood.

At issue is the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in a case called Kelo v. City of New London. Souter joined the majority in ruling the city could seize homes to make way for a hotel, convention center, office space and condominiums near Pfizer Inc.’s new research headquarters. The court said the city had the authority because the development would benefit the public by creating jobs and increasing tax revenues.

New London officials last fall rescinded eviction notices sent to the home owners. They have been abiding by a voluntary moratorium on the seizing of homes until the state legislature can debate possible changes to the state’s eminent domain laws.

A group of Weare residents called the Committee for the Preservation of Natural Rights already has gathered the 25 signatures required to place the seizure question on the town ballot in March.

Public outrage at the Supreme Court decision prompted many states, including New Hampshire, to consider tightening their eminent domain laws.

State Rep. Neal Kurk, a Republican from Weare, is sponsoring two proposed amendments to the state constitution that would limit eminent domain seizures to taking land for public use, such as building highways, and require higher payments to the former property owners.

AP-ES-01-22-06 1646EST