5 Activists Arrested during Dave Ridley’s Arraignment

April 13, 2009 by Patrick
Filed under: News, Police, Thuggery, Uncategorized 

Five activists were arrested and at least two were given summons for not leaving the lobby after Sam of the Obscured Truth Network was attacked by city officials for attempting to record videographer Dave Ridley’s arraignment. Here’s my recollection of the events:

Sam was in another room. He’d gone limp after officers had taken his camera and arrested him for recording in the lobby. The officers had dragged him through a doorway and handcuffed him, and we’d heard him scream painfully several times, presumably because of the rough treatment.

Police officers blocked the exits. Anyone in our group who was still in the lobby, according to city prosecutor Eliezer Rivera, would be charged with disorderly conduct.

David Krouse was sitting peacefully on the floor. The officials got Nick Ryder’s information and gave him a summons. Then one of them asked for my name.

I hadn’t even decided to stay—it had happened very quickly and I was still thinking things through. I didn’t want to leave Sam, especially if he had been hurt.

“I’m not going to comply,” I said. The police officer grabbed my arm and I went limp. I had not yet decided to obey, and removing myself from the interaction by going limp was the only thing I knew I could do in the meantime.

Three uniformed men then picked me up, carried me down the stairs, took me outside, and pushed me into the backseat of a police car. I was driven to the Keene Police department.

Before I was let out of the car, I heard two police officers criticizing city prosecutor Eliezer Rivera’s actions in calling for backup and demanding that everyone be given summons. “I thought he’d been jumped,” one of the officers said, referring to when he received the call for backup. “90% of it was probably him,” one of them said, referring to Riviera’s hyping of the incident. “He’s out of control.”

I was removed from the car and taken (walking, this time) to a room along with Tim Danforth and Curt (aka Lumpy.) They copied my information from my driver’s license (after finding it in a search of my wallet that I didn’t consent to) and I told them the address of the building where I usually sleep. I was then released and told to appear before the court on May 18 at 1:30pm for an arraignment.

Sam is now in the Westmoreland jail and will likely remain there overnight until his arraignment tomorrow morning. Tim and Curt were also released after giving their information (but Curt resisted for a few minutes.) I was happy to see 10-15 activists outside the station waiting for us. Thanks for being there, guys.

Please move to Keene and help us end this undeserved and unprovoked violence.

Comments

12 Comments on 5 Activists Arrested during Dave Ridley’s Arraignment

    2. Andrew on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 5:08 pm

    The officers criticizing Rivera, were they Keene officers or state police?

    3. Zeus on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 5:35 pm

    The officers criticizing Rivera, were they Keene officers or state police?

    If there’s dissension in the ranks, perhaps it would be more prudent to transmit that information privately in order to protect those who may find that the realities of serving as enforcers is not what they had in mind when they joined up.

    LEAP.cc and Barry Cooper are just two examples of former officers who realized that they were harming more people than they were helping. Not every cop is an adrenaline-junkie ready to snap someone’s neck at the slightest provocation nor do they all enjoy hurting people who are peaceful. With time and education, there’s hope that they may find the morals advocated in the philosophy of liberty more conducive to their happiness.

    You’re free to do as you will, just figured I’d point that out.

    4. Paul on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 5:42 pm

    Good points Zeus. I know it probably took most of us a while to come around, and it’s good to see people thinking for themselves.

    We do not need men and women in this country who will “just follow orders”. Most of the atrocities throughout history were done by men and women “just following orders”. We need men and women willing to bravely act on the courage of their convictions, even if it requires no small personal risk. I hope that the leadership at KPD, and the people, will realize this. If we are to have civil servants, they need to be men and women of principle and courage, not automata.

    5. George Donnelly on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 6:03 pm

    Is Eliezer Rivera a prosecutor or police sergeant?

    6. Charlie on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 6:24 pm

    To my knowledge he is both.

    7. MKYORDJ on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 6:54 pm

    Wow(!)

    It’s hard to believe 5 Individuals were Arrested today and charged with “Disorderly Conduct” for standing in a PUBLIC Court LOBBY, in support of a friend, who was in court for using a Video Camera on Government Land.

    A Caller on Free Talk Live said the Officials were unsure of what to do about all the continuing growing Activism and that they were “Overreacting.”

    It certainly appears to be a targeted effort by the Officials at the Peaceful Activists, ordered by someone(s) in charge. Frankly speaking, it’s quite surprising.

    Bottomline, it will certainly lead to more Peaceful Liberty Activists moving to Keene and the State of New Hampshire faster, and sooner than later.

    8. Mike on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 7:14 pm

    It’s hard to believe 5 Individuals were Arrested today and charged with “Disorderly Conduct” for standing in a PUBLIC Court LOBBY, in support of a friend, who was in court for using a Video Camera on Government Land.
    …
    Frankly speaking, it’s quite surprising.

    But it’s true. It happens. Often. Power is abused. Period.

    When it become more believed by and less surprising to more and more people, then the govt will have to face an army of peaceful people who can no longer be tyrannized.

    Bottomline, it will certainly lead to more Peaceful Liberty Activists moving to Keene and the State of New Hampshire faster, and sooner than later.

    Absolutely, and halelujah. :)

    9. Anton Lee on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 8:38 pm

    if they hide behind a badge, they’re cowards. These men today, were cowards. They would never act in such a fashion if they didn’t have the power of the state behind them. Someday, real men will be peace officers, and truly serve others.

    These overgrown children know nothing of courage.

    10. Patrick on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 9:08 pm

    I believe it was a combination of local and state cops.

    I intentionally was unspecific in order to protect the identities of the Rivera criticizers. It could have been any of the several cops who brought activists back to the station. If you think I should remove any reference to the criticism, let me know, but I think it’s important to mention.

    Move to Keene guys! We’re so close to critical mass!

    11. Vesuvius on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 9:25 pm

    So this is all the fun I miss while I’m in class. Craziness. Well, semester will be over on arraignment day, so I can make the arraignments. This ought to be a riot.

    12. Zeus on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 9:30 pm

    I’m sure the various statist watchdogs monitoring the site already have it copied down in triplicate so removing it now isn’t going to change anything.

    Besides that, I don’t think it’s necessary since you didn’t say anything that might identify them.

    I do like Ian’s idea of reaching out to any officers that might be interested in discussing the philosophy of liberty, what it is activists are seeking to achieve, etc.

    Not so sure they’d be open to it if it were public though. If a cop who realizes something’s not quite right with the orders he’s following or just wants to understand activist philsophy better, he’s not going to jeopardize his standing with other cops to do so. Maybe when he’s decided that liberty is something he’d like in his lifetime for himself, his spouse, his friends and his kids, then he’ll be more willing to stand up openly and speak out or even find another job altogether.

    Not sure how else we can reach out to any open-minded officers and engage them in serious but friendly discussion.

    13. MKYORDJ on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 11:28 pm

    One Activist, Sam, who refused to turn off his Camera on Government Land, sits in Jail tonight for the “crime” of trying to Record our Government’s Employees, doing official City business, on Public Property.

    I can’t help but wonder what the People of Keene think about that. Are they aware that their City Government throws people in jail video taping? Do they wonder why?

    Our jails are places you don’t want to be. They keep the cell temperatures unseasonably uncomfortable (usually colder) and this is how those “Innocent, until proven Guilty”, are treated by our Government.

    And so this is where our friend Sam sits tonight, a peaceful business owner, Locked in a Cold Cage for simply trying to Video Tape our Government doing the “People’s work.”

    This is America, April 14, 2009.

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