UNH Riot Police Test Weaponized Toys on Students

April 30, 2013 by Free Concord · 14 Comments
Filed under: Copblock, Copwatch, Free Concord, Free Press, Govt. Schools, Issues, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Photos, Seacoast, Thuggery, Victimless Crimes, Video

The fourth Occupy New England regional convergence was held this past weekend at the University of New Hampshire’s main campus in Durham. The gathering brought together dedicated activists from around the Northeast to spend time workshopping, networking, and strategizing. In a twist of fate, riot police would descend upon the surrounding area as outdoor presentations on street medic effectiveness and bullhorn mastery occurred on the campus green.

Presidential candidate Vermin Supreme was about midway through a session on de-escalating tense situations when chants of ‘UNH, UNH’ were audible from down the street directly across from the audience. Moments later, riot police appeared to be blocking the road off as students poured out of the area, many bearing cell phones in a manner suggesting that they were video recording. I wandered down for a closer look, and was surprised to see multiple officers carrying paintball guns, and others holding large canisters of pepper spray, most wearing helmets with face shields, gloves, and other protective gear (short of physical riot shields). Students were compliant with requests to stay out of the area, but were clearly agitated by what had previously occurred, several students reporting to have been hit and bruised by rubber bullets (likely pepperballs). From across the road, Vermin’s voice amplified through his bullhorn, reminding everyone to stay calm, that this was only a test, and to ignore the man with the megaphone. The mood lightened lightly as the police froze momentarily and onlookers responded with laughter and applause. Read more

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it. — Henry David Thoreau

March 23, 2013 by William Kostric · 2 Comments
Filed under: Civil Disobedience, Copblock, Court, Free Manch, Noncooperation, Occupy NH, Police, Victimless Crimes

During the trial of the Trespassive Three who were charged with the dastardly crime of Criminal Trespass for refusing to end a protest at the appointed hour, the State and it’s minions made some pretty ludicrous statements. Many of them were so over the top that they require no rebuttal, simply to be pointed out and laughed at. For instance; if the jury finds these three not guilty, anarchy will reign supreme, the parks will turn into campgrounds and the grass and trees in the parks will die. There were however a few statements that I believe warrant a closer examination.

Full Video of Occupy NH “Trespassive Three” Trial

March 23, 2013 by Ian · 4 Comments
Filed under: Issues, Living Free, Manchester, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Personal Freedom, Police, Update, Video

Three heroic activists from Occupy NH stood up for your right to peaceably assemble and speak out and were arrested for it, then convicted by a jury of their “peers”. This is an over five hour trial RAW footage – there are some real gems in here. I hope someone will take the time to make a highlight reel. Don’t miss the exclusive interview with one of the jurors at the end.

Jury Deems ONH Guilty of Trespassing in Public Park

March 22, 2013 by Free Concord · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Civil Disobedience, Copwatch, Court, Free Concord, Free Press, International, Issues, Manchester, National, New Hampshire, News, Noncooperation, Occupy NH, Police, Politics, Update, Victimless Crimes

At just about noon today, a Hillsborough County superior court jury returned from approximately an hour of deliberation with a guilty finding against three Occupy New Hampshire activists who did not voluntarily retrieve a citation and were removed via arrest from the temporary intentional community established in Veterans’ Park in Manchester’s downtown. The three were sentenced to ten days of incarceration at the infamous Valley Street jail, which is deferred on the condition that each completes 90 hours of community service and observes one year of good behavior. One occupier who was cited for curfew violation, but did not receive misdemeanor trespassing charges during the eviction responded,

Dislike, but unshocked. We were essentially asking the jury to find you not guilty on constitutional grounds. They are not constitutional law experts, this is an issue for the supreme court, and hopefully we get to challenge it there… Read more

Dr. David Berman Confronts the Merry Men

March 7, 2013 by Free Concord · 2 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Democrats, Free Concord, Free Press, Free Talk Live, Issues, Laugh at the Aggressors, Living Free, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Outreach, Photos, Police, Politics, Rant, Republicans, Robin Hood, Video

T’was two days ago when the Merry Men, which at the time consisted of myself and Keene native Graham, were approached by a mysterious individual wielding a phone as a videocamera. Though he declines to introduce himself, he was prompt in uploading his video to his youtube channel, Dr David Berman/MusicProDave.

Discussion of the cell phone video occupied a good portion of last evening’s episode of Free Talk Live. For a confrontational encounter, I feel surprisingly relieved of responsibility to add much commentary to accompany what was digitally captured. Mr. Berman’s video, my own raw video, and the raw footage from Graham’s flipcam speak for themselves. The best illustration I have found thus far of the experience was uploaded by the Aqua Keene Parking Force, using all three angles and adding some additional videography skills into the mix.

An article about David’s video was published yesterday to Free Keene.

More Raw Released, NATO 3 Update

March 2, 2013 by Free Concord · 2 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Corruption, Court, Free Concord, Free Press, International, Issues, Jailed Activist, National, News, Occupy NH, Police, Politics, Thuggery, Update, Video

The Fr33manTVraw channel recently received one of its largest uploads to date. The 82 minute video is the first third of a compilation of raw footage from our group’s first day on the ground for the NATO summit protests. The videos have been released first to the raw channel, and then to Free Concord’s youtube channel as they are edited and narrated to give the footage context. For those looking for the entire journey of the camera, the raw footage includes practically everything filmed. The previous day’s release, Day Zero, is just over nine minutes edited and just under ten raw. Within the coming weeks, a shortened, finished product will publish from the following day. In the meantime, the raw first segment of Day One: Boots on the Ground is live:

Yesterday truth-out.com posted an update on the NATO 3 case in Illinois, where three travelling protesters still remain caged on state-level charges of domestic terrorism after their apartment was raided by police days before the historic protest weekend.

Occupied Chicago: The NATO Summit Protest Tapes, Day Zero

January 11, 2013 by Free Concord · 2 Comments
Filed under: Copwatch, Free Concord, Free Press, International, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Police, Thuggery, Victimless Crimes, Video

Presenting Day Zero of Free Concord’s Occupied Chicago series. The series features limited commentary over the raw video taken while traveling to and attending the NATO summit protests last May. This segment takes place in Boston, and begins with the group returning to its starting point eight hours after departure. After finding out that our bus trip would be replaced with a flight from Logan airport, some consumed their goods that were not approved by the TSA. This attracted South Station’s police, who in decriminalized Massachusetts chose not to act against the smokers. Once bus transport for the two or three among us who couldn’t fly is secured, an activist from Acton reads the subway guidelines for the week of the summit in Chicago. The video ends with a preview of Day One’s footage, to be released in the next week.

For previous coverage from this day’s police encounters, see Acton Cop Investigates Young People. For previous coverage of the NATO summit protests, see Pending: Coverage from the NATO Protests in Chicago, NATO 2012 Chicago: Initial Reports and Profiles from Occupy NATO.

Hassan Pleasantly Passes on Independence Inquiry

January 4, 2013 by Free Concord · 2 Comments
Filed under: Concord, Democrats, Free Concord, Free Press, Issues, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Photos, Politics, Question, Secession, Video

Yesterday was the inauguration ceremony at the state house and a number of other scheduled festive events to ring in the new administrations. After doing some promotional chalkings around the perimeter of the building, I headed inside and met with other independent media personalities visiting town from Keene. When we discovered a line outside of the governor’s office, we were struck with the urge to file in.

A staffer noticed our rolling videocameras and informed us that the line was for a photograph with governor Maggie Hassan, but that she would not have time to dedicate to a videotaped interview. Darryl, Kate, and James decided to find other items to film, while I perused the posters featuring the event’s corporate sponsors, which included everything from New Hampshire businesses to pharmaceutical multinationals.

It was a very rushed encounter, as most happenings with lines tend to be. I quickly asked after handing off my rolling camera and being flashed by still cameras, “Will you be doing anything to decrease New Hampshire’s dependence on the United States federal government?”

“Uh, well, I think that’s something we’ll all talk about, thanks.”

I picked up a cheesecake item and walked to the house chamber to listen to a colorful choir. Outside of the office, the line to see the new state president grew. In the lobby, chocolate bears were being distributed. It was a statist synthesis of Christmas and Easter, and there was free stuff to go around.

Trailer for Unreleased NATO Summit Videos

December 31, 2012 by Free Concord · 1 Comment
Filed under: Copwatch, Free Concord, Free Press, International, National, News, Occupy NH, Police, Politics, Thuggery, Video

I’ve been working on a project to release my raw videos from the NATO Summit protests in Chicago and recently created an introduction segment. The videos will be released first as single videos featuring an entire day’s footage to Fr33manTVraw. From the single large video, a trimmed cut will be produced with audio commentary and released on the FreeConcordTV youtube channel. After creating the intro, I found that it worked very well as a trailer for the footage to come. It features video from both myself and other videographers, with channels cited in the video description.

Previous coverage from the weekend of protests:
Pending: Coverage from the NATO Protests
NATO 2012 Chicago: Initial Reports
Profiles from Occupy NATO
War on Cannabis – Boston: ‘It’s legal, but you still get a fine’
Acton Cop Investigates Young People

Jan 11 2013: Occupied Chicago: Day Zero – Getting There

Keene Receives Uncle Sam’s Attack Truck

December 8, 2012 by Free Concord · 3 Comments
Filed under: Announcement, Copblock, Copwatch, Free Concord, Free Press, International, Issues, Jailed Activist, National, New Hampshire, News, Occupy NH, Outreach, Photos, Police, Shire Choir, Update, Video

It was a cold and rainy morning as the Bearcat attack truck was put on display to the public for the first time in Keene, New Hampshire. Between nine and eleven ante meridiem, the Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck was on display with the motor running and the rear doors open, revealing the personnel carrying compartment which seats eight. With the driver and passenger seat, the truck fits ten commandos comfortably, and came standard with no less than ten gun ports. While the KPD didn’t receive the additional gas injector arm, LRAD, or a .50 caliber to mount atop their rotating turret, the powerful fixed FLIR camera gives the department new vision as hunters. The infrared lens can see warm bodies in the darkness, as the image is created by detecting thermal signatures instead of light, akin to the alien antagonist in the sci-fi thriller Predator.

Waco-style penetrating gas weapon

Among those who braved the weather, there was much speculation as to how the Bearcat would be first put to use. While those who tried selling the prospect of the Bearcat to the people claimed it could be used as a rescue vehicle, tour guides acknowledged that it was a standard Ford pickup truck on an enhanced frame with armor. It is not capable of traversing flood waters any more than its unarmored counterpart, beyond the additional elevation provided by the large wheels.

The attack truck is equipped with environmental detectors on the exterior of the vehicle. The sensors are capable of recognizing certain chemical, biological, and radiation dangers. However, the interior itself is in no way insulated from any of these potential threats, as it does not have its own pressurized cabin. The boondoggle also features three spotlights, and all the flashes and noises one would expect from a police vehicle. Read more