There’s a restaurant in Keene called The Stage. But there’s no stage quite like the one that sits adjacent to it: Keene Central Square. Made famous by dozens of courageousarrests, Central Square plays host to the most bizarre encounters ever to be imagined.
In this video, activist and FreeKeene.com blogger Garret Ean records as he and members of the group “Stop Free Keene!!!” are locked in a never-ending chalk-removal battle. Some people are chalking while others are removing the chalk with water.
Local cop (and occasional persecutor for ‘the State’) Jason Short arrives and asks if there is a problem. Immediately the cries come from both sides, like children reacting to daddy coming home and finding siblings fighting.
Paraphrasing:
“We are just trying to clean up the park, and these mean people keep making it dirty!”
“They sprayed water on me! Don’t we have a right to the first amendment?”
“Yes, yes, calm down children. Behave. You’re both right. Now just get along, will you?”
“Don’t tell us what to do!”
One girl with bleached and fading pink hair faces a much taller Jason Short as if confronting a bully, and then, teary-eyed, dramatically walks away. Hamming it up.
On July 9, 2014, Keene Police Chief Ken Meola sent me a letter denying my application for a Concealed Carry Permit in New Hampshire. As his reason for denial, he said I, “have had several contacts with the police for assualtive or threatening behavior.” None of my arrests disqualify me from owning a firearm, however the law allows the police to exercise discretion by denying a person “who is unsuitable”. That could mean anything!
I am an activist who runs his own peace-centric podcast twice a week and blog at PeaceNewsNow.com. I am obsessed with peace, and have never been assaultive or threatening in my life! If I can be denied because of this baseless accusation, so can you! Please donate today to pay for my attorney because this is a precedent-setting case. Can the “suitable person” clause be used to disarm peaceful activists? If I lose, the government will have even more reason to deny people their rights. If I win, the police will have to walk out of court with their tail between their legs, and they’ll think twice before denying the next activist.
I have already put up my own personal money ($2,500) as a retainer for the best lawyer in the business, Evan Nappen. He’s defended countless others and has a track record of success in cases of this type. A simple Google search of his name will show that I have chosen the right man for the job. I’m in this to win, so if you care about securing and enhancing gun rights in New Hampshire, please donate now!
Last night there was a DUI checkpoint in Manchester, NH. Some activists caught wind about the event and created signs to warn drivers to divert their paths. Dozens of activists participated, and probably hundreds of drivers were saved from unwanted interactions with police. Some people handed out “Know Your Rights” cards to passers-by on the street. I took video throughout the night to document this effective activism. One of the highlights of my night was rolling through the traffic stop with James “Robin Hood” Cleaveland. The checkpoint begins 5 minutes into the video. Here’s how it went:
Friend, blogger, and fellow activist Graham Colson walked into the Cheshire County House of Corrections today. He was sentenced to 60 days for the “crime” of Contempt of Court. Before he checked in, we had a chance to chat about the events that led up to this moment. Ian Freeman and I also reflected on our own jail experiences and reminded Graham that life is always what you make of it–even when you are living in a cage.
