The Free Talk Live studio and home of Ian Freeman were ransacked this morning by men who left carrying their plunder: computers and other electronics. These uninvited strangers had not engaged in a consensual interaction — say by compensating Ian Freeman, the owner of the gear — but stole it.
So brazen (hubristic?) were these criminals that they acted in broad daylight and displayed no visible sign of shame when questioned by a concerned friend of Freeman. At this time the identities of those responsible is unknown, but their gang affiliation includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Keene Police Department.
Just why did these thieves target Freeman? While that question has been guessed at elsewhere online, this author has yet to hear an answer by someone on the scene. When that changes this post will be updated. UPDATE: Freeman disclosed details on Free Talk Live the night of the incident, March 20, 2016, which is embedded below.
I created this video in the hope that viewers learn how they can gain some accountability for police misconduct. Using this incident to communicate the effectiveness of peaceful, principled tactics is fitting, as today is the three year anniversary of the theatrical release of the epic Derrick J’s Victimless Crime Spree.
In the video below, Garret Ean of Keene Peaceful Streets asks Jason Short a question about the mysterious sniper teams atop city rooftops during the Pumpkin Fest celebration earlier in the day. To avoid answering this simple question Officer Short does something both illegal and dangerous.
Despite Officer Short being covered in dark clothing (except for his face) he crossed the normally busy road as an alert Penske Box Van Driver spotted him and slowed the vehicle down. Garret hung back out of harms way to document the evasive enforcer violating the law he has sworn to uphold.
On August 6th police departments across the states held “national night out” to try to better community relations.
I stopped by the Keene police department. Present was the BEARCAT – which was brought to town last year despite the overwhelming pushback from townsfolks who said “Thanks but no tanks!”
Right now, just an hour or so to the north, so-claimed “public officials” in Concord are attempting to do the same.
But hey – at least some folks at the LENCO plant down in Pitsfield, MA have jobs right?
They’re staying busy cranking out these vehicles. Thanks to federal money from the misnamed Department of Homeland Security – BEARCATS are now in 300 towns.
A DHS grant – which, to be clear, is coin stolen from taxpayers – also provided a mobile command center to the Cheshire County sheriffs – the outfit now headed by former Keene police employee Eli Rivera.
I was hopeful that I could finally have a conversation with someone who has thus far, played hard to get since my time in Keene.
Despite a number of attempts to initiate a convo, or even just get a reciprocal “hello” or “good afternoon” Ken Meola has steadfastly refused to engage. Perhaps today, in public, things would be different.
Edward Burke says that I owe the “City of Keene” 15FNRs or else.
This, despite the fact that no victim could be pointed to by Keene police employee Lesley Collier, who back in March left a ransom note on my Tahoe.
Nor could Collier point to any property damage that I had caused or even a single complainant.
To be clear, the ransom Burke says I owe is demanded simply because I disobeyed a decree that I never signed, which was written by some strangers I never met.
Thanks to Ian Freeman of FreeKeene.com, ShireSociety.com, FreeTalkLive.com, LRN.FM and KeeneCopBlock.org for filming this August 06, 2013 venture in legaland.
Legaland is necessarily arbitrary as it says that a certain group of people have the right and knowledge to create and then interpret legislation conflated to be law. .
I don’t need to be verse in legaland jargon or go to school for three years to know that no victim means no crime. That’s enough for me. (more…)
