On a recent trip to Manchester, Keene activists happened to be walking by the police station when we got a preview of the intimidating “BearCat” that the Keene police will be given by the federal gang. See it up close:
Thanks to WKBK‘s Brad Ryder for this coverage of Romney’s campaign appearance which features a performance by the Shire Choir. Download the Chronic Carols songsheet here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-syiTlJcBI
As we approach the final week of 2011, I have a few announcements regarding some important changes for 2012 that have already been implemented.
If you’ve been reading this blog for the last year-or-so, you probably know I and other activists were arrested at a city council meeting last year for playing a drinking game, quietly, with brown bottles mostly filled with water.
Over a year post-the-arrests, they dropped my charges – a tacit admission that the arrests were wrongful. Rather than do as many have suggested and sue, I merely asked, in writing, for an apology. I didn’t expect one, but I did get an amusing refusal letter from the city attorney, which I will share with you below.
The people calling themselves “the city of Keene” have an attorney on staff named Thom Mullins. Thom told me prior to receiving this letter that they wouldn’t apologize because according to him, even though I couldn’t be prosecuted for anything didn’t mean I should have been allowed to stay in their meeting. My real crime all along had been to not take them seriously. The government people can’t have us little people poking fun at them (even if silently) in creative ways. Had we stood in there with signs, we’d have been alright, because people have always done that sort of protest over the years. Drinking in unison from brown bottles however? They see it as a slap to the precious legitimacy of their system. (more…)
Unfortunately no video exists of the incident due to oppressive camera restrictions at Cheshire “superior” court, but this afternoon before my trial on open records access could begin, two arrests were made in the courtroom. Jason Talley of Talley.TV (and FK blogger) and Kelly Voluntaryist James were both cuffed and removed. Talley was dragged by the handcuffs out of the room, yelling in pain. All of this because when the robed man entered, about eight activists refused to stand, as always happens in any court we visit. However the robed man in this case is perhaps the most power-mad one in all of NH, John P. Arnold, who despite retiring is still a “Senior judge”, which means he can be brought back anytime. The bailiffs threatened the activists upon their remaining seated and demanded they stand or leave. No one did either, so they began targeting people separately. Eventually, most got up, and Talley was in the process of leaving when they arrested him and then Kelly, who stayed seated in protest of Talley’s arrest.
Later, the two were brought in for a “right of alocution” and were released with holiday wishes from Arnold. No, seriously. He actually told them “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays”. He also lectured them about having more respect for the court. He claimed that he wasn’t personally offended at their staying seated, but that it’s disrespectful to the process. After he left, out-of-control court security agent Bob Tebo tried to lecture me about respect, and I informed him that one must earn respect and that one doesn’t earn respect in my book by threatening and caging peaceful people.
For a full description and discussion of today’s events, please listen to tonight’s Free Talk Live – we spend most of the last 2/3s of the show discussing it.
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