Video: Pumpkin Fest Crowd Boos Police Thuggery

Keene police, staties, and others from the surrounding areas cracked down on liberty activists today. Here’s the first video to hit the ‘net showing the initial cannabis arrests. Later police arrested three activists for “trespassing” in the supposedly “public” city lobby.

The opposition claims that no one supports liberty activists in Keene, but that is clearly a nonsense claim:

Audio: WKBK’s “Talkback” 2009-10-10 & Chat Tomorrow Morning!

Radio TowerDiscussed on last week’s “Talkback” on WKBK: speed bumps, oppressive federal and state government, corrections of the misinformation that a former cop spread on last week’s episode about my use of the megaphone at the cannabis celebrations, and a silly attack on liberty activists from local politico Steve Lindsey (who I think was upset because some liberty activists gave him a piece of their mind when he was at the pro-govt healthcare demonstration).

Grab the archive.

Please join us for our NEW weekly chat and calling sessions on Saturday mornings from 11a-12p in the Free Keene Chat room. If you’re online, you can listen to Talkback streamed live via the Liberty Radio Network and if you’re in the Keene area you can tune in to WKBK 1290 AM or 104.1 FM. The Talkback discussion thread is here on the Free Keene Forum.

4:20 Celebration to Move from Central Sq. to City Hall for Pumpkin Fest

CannpumpkinIn the name of “the children”, Keene’s daily 4:20pm cannabis celebration will move from Central Square across the street to where young, innocent eyes should never be – city hall.

Event promoter Rich Paul, the one man arrested for possession of marijuana since the beginning of the incredibly successful daily celebrations over a month ago, has announced that out of respect for the very small amount of public space available in the park, that the celebration will move to the front of city hall at 3 Washington St. in Keene. The event will return to Central Square as of Sunday.

Paul expects that tomorrow may be the biggest 4:20 celebration ever in Keene. Due to the threatened crackdown from Keene police, it is recommended that those who plan on toking bring joints and plan for a high arrest potential. Peaceful police countermeasures will be in effect. Please bring your recording devices. See you there!

Crackdown Planned Against 4:20 Participants During Pumpkin Fest

CrackdownThe Union Leader is reporting that in the name of the children, Keene police and prosecutors plan to make arrests in Keene’s Central Square, a piece of “public” property. Will tomorrow’s Pumpkin Fest event be a tragedy of the commons? “Public” property is allegedly owned by everyone, which also means it’s owned by no one. While ideally all property should be owned, as long as the concept of “public” property exists, any peaceful individuals should be allowed there. Because of the children though, Keene’s armed gang has decided that smokers of cannabis will be kidnapped while smokers of tobacco will be left alone. Sure, this is completely arbitrary, but that’s how they roll.

CannapumpkinWhat will happen tomorrow afternoon at 4:20pm is anyone’s guess. Remember, no one is in charge. Will the tokers stay away that one day? Will they show up and be arrested? (If they are arrested, will they take jail time and cost the gang, or will they pay the gang?) Are the cops bluffing? If both sides show up, how many will there be?

“What about the children?”

Why not tell your kids the truth about cannabis? You do know the truth, right? (more…)

EMS’ Thin Red Line?

bluelinePerhaps you’ve heard of the “thin blue line”? Besides being a gang symbol that the police use to identify one another in public when they are off duty or in different areas, it’s also describes the “brotherhood” of being a cop. Cops protect other cops. When one of them is under attack for doing something awful, you can watch as the thin blue line closes up to protect the one that is in danger. It happens again and again across America and the world. Only the cops who are caught red-handed doing the most egregious things are the ones unable to be effectively protected by their system. 99% of them get away with their crimes with their department spokespeople making excuses and brushing their abuses under the rug. It doesn’t matter in many cases that there are witnesses or even video of the officer’s alleged transgressions.

Looks like there may be a thin red line here in Keene. I went today to talk to John MacLean, the city manager. Ron LeslieI wanted to ask him what the city’s policy was about employees who steal. He said he couldn’t do anything unless I complained to the police. As I’d mentioned in an earlier post, I’d rather forgive Ron Leslie, the thief in this case, and the captain of the EMS B squad. I was just curious what the city people would do about a naughty employee, and I wasn’t expecting much.

Turns out the situation is worse than I thought. (more…)