Nashua PD Refuses Chalking Intervention at Obama Protest

February 7, 2012 by Free Concord
Filed under: Free Concord, National, New Hampshire, Police, Politics, Video

Saturday, February 4th was a national day of action against agitation for war with Iran. With my camera charged up, I made my first stop on the mild winter day the Barack Obama campaign office in Nashua, which had an opening celebration at 10:00am. I showed up to meet Occupy NH participants who had brought literature to distribute. I went about my usual chalking, focusing on messages that I hoped would make supporters of the president question their commitment.

Some suits emerged from the building, looked around, and went back inside. As I was keeping the chalking away from a portion of pavement under an overhang, and in the public area of the sidewalk, I knew that there could not be a claim that I was chalking any private property. Aside from myself, only one other person chose to participate in the chalking.

Three police cars eventually arrive. An officer politely asks the group to be sure that they do not block the sidewalk, as they had received complaints. He was brief, leaving after having relayed the information.

Up the street, the officer from the lead car was speaking with a man in a red jacket. I filmed from a distance, and noticed when the police began moving away from him. You could hear him yell, “These people have no right! No right to deface public property!”

You can see in the video his profane reaction when I try to converse with him after the police leave. He went on to deny the first amendment freedom of speech, and imply that I was morally transgressing by speaking against “your president” and “your country”. Yet another example of an individual so detached from his fellow man that when he is offended by an action (chalking) he first goes to an agent of aggression, rather than have the courage to politely and respectfully address the issue himself.

Kudos to the Nashua PD for choosing not to interfere when there was clearly no wrongdoing going on.

My next stop of the day was an Antiwar Rally at Veterans Park in Manchester, which began at noon. Coverage of that event coming soon.

This article originally published at freeconcord.org.

enslave keene

Boy oh Boy, how the agitation seamed to sieze with all quickness after the dude in the red shirt in a verbose fashion tells Garret or whoever it is "None of your F***NG business"..

Whats the matter guys, the someone puty some fear into you?

Why didnt you continue to hound this man? (rhetorical question)

Yeah I know.
IronyMan

Do you think people have the right to deface public property?
? and the Mysterions

Chalk easily washes off in the first rain…

It's NOT "defacing"

Exercise of 1st Amendment Rights should never be called to sanction.
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IronyMan

@? and the Mysteriosn

"Exercise of 1st Amendment Rights should never be called to sanction."

What about child pornography? Is that and exercise of my 1st amendment rights? If not, why not? If so, can it be called to sanction?

What about libel? Slander? Violent threats?

1st Amendment rights are not unqualified, IMHO.
enslave keene

at 3:04, Garrett poops his draws! lol
david

Garret, a very well spoken individual approached a big impolite jerk .

The big guy just seemed angry. Garret did what we want our neighbors to do: talk to them and NOT call the cops on them.

And the big guys tone and demeanor is one reason why some DO call the cops; because we don't want to deal with a big impolite yelling jerk.

So this is also a depiction of why manners are important imho.