Pending: Coverage from the NATO Protests in Chicago

May 19, 2012 by Free Concord · 7 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Free Concord, Free Press, International, National, News, Occupy NH, Photos, Police

After a 27 hour journey with activists from around Massachusetts and New Hampshire, early yesterday morning we arrived in the windy city. Expending almost every battery for the recording devices that I own, there is now upwards of 14 gigabytes of video, image, and audio files waiting to be processed. Throughout the day I filmed scenes from a scheduled rally in Daley plaza (where a cell phone jamming device was being used), an unpermitted march throughout downtown Chicago, and an evening assembly in Grant park. The Chicago Tribune has published photos from Friday’s festivities. Today crowds are expected to continue swelling. Here’s a juxtaposition preview of some of the coverage you’ll soon be seeing at Free Concord. The first image was a much more common sight than the second.

This post originally published at freeconcord.org.

To Fred and Josh in “Code Enforcement”, please stop picking on my neighbors.

May 4, 2012 by Ian · 2 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Corruption, Living Free, Personal Freedom, Update

Fred Parsells and I go way back. I like the guy personally – we’ve dined together a number of times over the years and had pleasant conversations. However, last year he left his job at the “Keene Housing Authority” and took on the role of city “Code Enforcer”. A former detective with the Keene police, (and I believe collecting a police pension) Fred has decided to make my property one of his pet projects and has begun a campaign of harassing me, my tenants, and most recently, my new neighbors next door. (Curiously, prior to Fred being hired, I hadn’t heard from code enforcement in five years. So, clearly there weren’t any glaring issues at the time upsetting anyone. The one time I did hear from code enforcement prior to the five years was due to the complaint from a city employee.)

I recently came home to discover Fred and his partner Josh, parked out front of my house, standing at my new neighbors’ door. They were just leaving and I inquired of Pete, who was there recording, as to what was going on. I was informed that they were threatening the neighbor over the car in their side yard. I informed Fred and Josh that I have no problem with their car being there and that I don’t appreciate them picking on my neighbors. Josh told me to stop eavesdropping, as though when strange men come threatening my neighbors that it’s not my business. I don’t know where Josh lives, but I want to live in a place where neighbors care that their neighbors are being threatened by aggressors.

Afterward, I spoke with the lady next door and assured her that I had not called code enforcement on them and nor would I. If I have an issue with a neighbor, I’ll do like a good neighbor should, and drop by to talk. She informed me that Fred claimed he’d gotten a complaint from another neighbor regarding their car in the yard, because the other neighbor had experienced code enforcers threatening them over the same issue. Read more

Banned from Keene State College for “Free” Speech + Officer Jason Short Sees the Light on Drug War Hypocrisy?

April 24, 2012 by Ian · 10 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Corruption, Living Free, National, New Hampshire, News, Personal Freedom, Video

For years I have been doing outreach at Keene State College. This normally consists of handing out fliers on campus, especially during class changes. Only this year did I ever encounter any trouble from campus security, when they threatened me with a no trespass order if I were to continue handing out information. Upon visiting with one of the college directors in his office, I inquired regarding their policy. I was told that not even KSC students may hand out fliers on campus! I was informed that I could have a table in the student center, just like the students can have. I would be allowed to sit behind the table, quietly, and only interact with people who came up to speak to me.

This was unacceptable to me. It’s highly ineffective. Why sit at a table all day or even for a few hours, when my friends and I can deliver hundreds of fliers in fifteen minutes during class change? Besides, aren’t college campuses advertised as the holy grail of free speech? What a bunch of nonsense.

So, last week on Thursday, I returned to the campus with new mover Daryl Perry. Read more

Full Scanner Audio of KPD Robbery Chase/Killing

April 19, 2012 by Ian · 31 Comments
Filed under: Audio, Copwatch, News, Police, Update

This nearly 24 minute audio includes all the radio traffic the KPD scanner received between 10pm and Midnight on April 17th, 2012. It’s everything from the initial report from Diversified Computers of noise on the roof, to the shooting of the suspect on Marlboro St., to the manhunt for the other two suspects, to the afterwards.

The Keene police scanner audio reveals that the two suspects were taken into custody AFTER the police shot the third man to death. The Sentinel’s report makes it sound like the reverse happened:

At least one person was on the roof of the building when police arrived. He and another man were taken into custody after a short pursuit, authorities said.
A man who was not captured allegedly left the area in a car and led police on a pursuit to Marlboro Street.

Their mis-reporting led FK’s Ademo to write his opinion piece, in which he assumed the Sentinel got it right and therefore makes several mistaken conclusions. Remember, as you listen to this audio, the blank spaces have been mostly excised from the piece to make it easier to listen. In the full audio, it’s more than ten minutes before officer Jennifer Uhas (118) announces she has the first suspect in custody. Less than a minute later, the second suspect is in custody as well. In their report, the Sentinel claims to have their own scanner – so why the botched reporting?

The audio is pretty intense, and Keene police for the most part, do the best they can to bring aggressors to justice, backed by four state troopers, a couple of county sheriffs, and mutual aid units from Winchester, Dublin, and Troy. Sadly, some officers opted to use deadly force to stop the third suspect from running, which seems entirely inappropriate and even reckless Read more

Did you witness the Keene police shoot a man to death last night?

April 18, 2012 by Ian · 9 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Corruption

If so, please email your contact information to news at freekeene.com and a reporter will get back to you.

Radio Free Keene News – 2012-04-02

April 2, 2012 by Ian · 3 Comments
Filed under: Audio, Copwatch, Corruption, Court, Noncooperation, Personal Freedom, Police, Radio News

Radio Tower Radio Free Keene News is a five minute newscast which is available as a podcast and also will air at the top of some hours on LRN.FM.

You can download the edition for this week here. Topics covered include the attack against and kidnapping of Free Keene blogger Derrick J as well as the Monadnock Regional High School free speech showdown.

You can add Radio Free Keene News to your podcast client via this RSS feed.

Union Leader: “BearCat brouhaha revs up Keene”

February 23, 2012 by talleytv · 3 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch

Meghan Pierce of The Union Leader covers the growing resistance to the militarization of Keene’s streets with the article in today’s paper:

KEENE — Thanks, but no tanks. That’s what some residents are saying in opposition to a city plan to purchase an armored vehicle for emergency response.

An outcry resulted after the City Council accepted a $285,933 Homeland Security grant in December — without a public hearing — to buy a LENCO BearCat Special Missions armored vehicle. Now the BearCat’s fate awaits the City Council’s final decision, expected at its March 1,7 p.m., meeting at Keene City Hall.

The city’s reconsideration of the grant got national media attention, including an article in the Huffington Post, sparking thousands of comments online about the role of the federal government.

Mike Clark, a 27-year-old handyman currently facing a criminal mischief charge in Keene — and the son of the sole Keene council member to vote against accepting the Homeland Security money — told the Huffington Post he has had encounters with Keene police and was “roughed up” both times.

“The police are already pretty brutal,” Clark said. “The last thing they need is this big piece of military equipment to make them think they’re soldiers.” Read more

Take it to Court!

February 4, 2012 by DerrickJ · 34 Comments
Filed under: Copblock, Copwatch, Corruption, Court, New Hampshire, Noncooperation, Shire Society, Thuggery, Video

On Thursday of this week, I was getting ready to leave for the Manchester Airport with Kelly when “code enforcer” Fred Parcells was spotted pulling out of my next-door-neighbor’s driveway. Then I realized that I had a ticket on my windshield, and so did Kelly!

Pulled Over for No Reason

January 30, 2012 by DerrickJ · 18 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Court, Hypocrisy, Living Free, New Hampshire, Thuggery, Video

I was pulled over while driving 50 mph in a 55 mph zone. The officer alleges I was going 72. That is impossible because I was stuck behind a slow-moving pickup truck for about 20 miles, and that truck was keeping me slowed at a pace of 50 mph.

To learn more about why I take the time and energy to fight arbitrarily-written tickets, click below:

More People Upset over “Bearcat”: Police Armored Destruction Vehicle

January 18, 2012 by Ian · 9 Comments
Filed under: Copblock, Copwatch, Corruption, Issues, Update

Bearcat More Keeniacs are upset about the city council’s decision to do whatever the police suggest and approve a “Bearcat” armored personnel machine. As you can see from the photo, this move is a clear militarization of the police, and thankfully the people of Keene appear to oppose this intimidating monstrosity. The Keene Sentinel recently published more letters to the editor from concerned inhabitants:

(Please write to the city council at 3 Washington St. and encourage them to refuse the fed’s corrupt offer of the Bearcat.)

The recent flurry of letters regarding the City Council vote to approve the “free” offer of a BearCat assault vehicle shows the unease many of us are feeling these days about both the growing militarization of our local communities and the budgetary choices being made by our leaders at the national, state and local levels during these tight fiscal times.

Perhaps this issue has galvanized such a community response because it symbolizes the increasing emphasis on guns, so-called security and the “fear factor” that has occurred in this country in recent years, including the Monadnock region.

I have lived twice in countries that were dictatorships (Uruguay in 1975 and Chile from 1984-1989) and the truth is that as an average law-abiding citizen I feel the security apparatus presence more strongly in Keene than I ever did in Uruguay or Chile. Read more