Pending: Coverage from the NATO Protests in Chicago

May 19, 2012 by Free Concord · 2 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.

Keene Residents Say “Thanks, But No Tanks”

February 22, 2012 by Kelly · 25 Comments
Filed under: New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Video

Ian and I took to the streets to ask Keene residents what they think about the Lenco BEARCAT.

Resisting the Next Big War: Peace With Iran Rally at Veterans Park

February 15, 2012 by Free Concord · 11 Comments
Filed under: Free Concord, International, Issues, Manchester, National, News, Occupy NH, Photos, Video

2/4 Antiwar Rally in Minneapolis, MN

On Saturday, February 4, a national day of war resistance was celebrated in the streets of cities around the nation. Following a protest at the Obama re-election campaign office opening, I headed to Veterans Park in Manchester, where there was a rally against war, especially the increasingly hyped prospect of war with Iran. In recent weeks, it seems established powers have been banging the war drums ever more loudly.

It appears to be a geographic continuance of ongoing military conquests by the US government, that in taking Iraq and Afghanistan, the next ambition would be the powerhouse that divides them. Though there’s a history of mistrust between the US and Iran, one obstacle that neither militant faction of the two countries may be able to overcome is the ability of the people of Iran and the United States to directly communicate. Read more

Activist Cuts Deal on Occupy Charge

February 13, 2012 by Free Concord · 14 Comments
Filed under: Court, Free Concord, New Hampshire, Occupy NH, Update

Occupy NH activist Matthew Richards has accepted a diversion program deal to avoid a trespassing charge stemming from his arrest in January. Matthew was arrested during the January 8 republican presidential debate at the Capitol Center for the Arts. Concord-nh.patch.com has the details of the program included in its coverage. At a hearing in a few months, it will be determined if the state will dismiss the misdemeanor charge. With this charge seemingly diverted, Matthew also faces a trespassing charge from the five arrests made during the Occupy NH eviction.

Occupy Keene – BEARCAT

February 12, 2012 by Kelly · 6 Comments
Filed under: Issues, National, News, Occupy NH

Our success at Thursday’s city council meeting here in Keene has made national news, as featured this morning on The Agitator.

Free Staters in Keene, New Hampshire, are pushing back against the town’s proposed plan to buy a Bearcat armored personnel carrier.

Interestingly, LENCO, the company that makes the vehicle, pulled the promotional video below from its website in response to the Keene protests. DHS has given out hundreds of homeland security grants to local police departments across the country to purchase these vehicles. Read more

Chalkings and Signs at 2/4 Obama Protest

February 11, 2012 by Free Concord · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Free Concord, Issues, National, Occupy NH, Photos, Politics

Images from the February 4 protest outside of the Obama re-election campaign office in Nashua, NH.

Bearcat Reconsideration Public Hearing is Happening, Thanks to Terry Clark

January 27, 2012 by Ian · 9 Comments
Filed under: Copblock, National, News, Occupy NH, Update

Bearcat No mention of this in the Sentinel, but at last night’s city council meeting it was revealed that councilor Terry Clark has brought up the Bearcat for public hearing at an upcoming meeting. Terry Clark, as you may recall, is the lone councilor who heroically voted against accepting federal money to buy a Bearcat armored attack machine in the first place. According to John McLean, city boss, the city council can re-hear an issue once a year, and when a councilor brings an issue forward, there has to be a public hearing. Unlike when someone recently presented 144 petition signatures asking for a public hearing on the matter, which were gathered over one weekend, and the council blew it off as “informational”.

Here’s a facebook event for the next City Council meeting. Come with signs and show your support for a peaceful, not militarized, Keene police.

Journalist Arrested at Romney Event for Trespassing

January 11, 2012 by Free Concord · 4 Comments
Filed under: Free Concord, Free Press, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Police, Politics

Harvard student blogger Matt Bieber has written yesterday that he was baselessly arrested by Hudson police while at a Mitt Romney event on January 9. Police said that he was identified by campaign staff as someone who was present at a previous protest which Bieber claims to have not attended. His experience is published at his blog here.

The previous protest that he was alleged to have been at could have possibly been one which I had attended in a journalistic capacity. Occupy New Hampshire participants had gathered outside of Romney’s campaign headquarters on Elm Street in Manchester. Some protesters waived signs over the windows while the presidential candidate talked to supporters inside. This occurred during the initial occupation of Veterans Park back in October.

The facts in Bieber’s case are vaguely similar to the circumstances that resulted in the arrest of Dave Ridley at the Radisson in Nashua on May 25.

One Arrest at (Occupied) Capitol Center Debate

January 10, 2012 by Free Concord · 4 Comments
Filed under: Civil Disobedience, Free Concord, Free State Project, International, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Police, Video

At Sunday morning’s presidential debate held at the Capitol Center for the Arts, one arrest was made during a foiled “mic check” attempt by Occupy New Hampshire activists. Matthew Richards of Manchester was arrested for trespassing after attempting to hold open a door at the theater to allow protesters into the debate. He was tackled by security and placed under arrest by Concord police. Dave Ridley captured the scene following the arrest, as Matthew is brought out of the building. This is his second protest related trespassing arrest, as he was also taken into custody for a short period following the eviction of the Occupy NH encampment in Veterans Park.

MPD Captain Declines Post-Chalking 8 Inquiry

January 8, 2012 by Free Concord · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Copblock, Free Concord, Manchester, New Hampshire, Occupy NH, Police, Question, Update, Video

Yesterday while attending Occupy the Primary being held at Veterans Park in Manchester, I met MPD captain Robert Cunha. He had come to the park to discuss altering aspects of the occupation with participants in the protest. I had noticed when mailed my verdict following the trial held stemming from my Chalking 8 arrest that Capt. Cunha was CC’d a copy of the ruling. This indicates that he is likely the supervising officer in dealing with the cases that have stemmed from the chalking 8 incident. Following the arrests, it was the lower ranked sergeant Todd Boucher who spoke with press and was cited as the officer in charge during the incident. Sergeant John Patti was the officer who made or ordered six of the arrests. Joseph Mucci, also a sergeant, made 2 arrests and issued one citation that was later upgraded to a criminal charge.

Not surprisingly, Robert Cunha was not interested in discussing aspects of the case. That the potential still exists for legal action to be taken against Manchester PD for false arrest is likely what drives the silence. See my interaction with Cpt. Cunha embedded below:

On Monday, January 9, Ademo Freeman and Wesley Gilwreath will be sentenced following their convictions on chalking-related criminal mischief charges which were ruled upon December 27. Activists have planned to chalk in solidarity outside of the court prior to the sentencing hearing.