Concord police will be receiving a Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck, after an 11-4 vote by the full city council in favor of accepting the military-style vehicle funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant to the Lenco corporation. The fire chief closed the building to many attendees, calling capacity at a reported 70 guests. Drum circles, light shows, sign waving, videography, and socializing occurred in the courtyard outside of the council meeting location on Green Street. Media from around the state observed proceedings both inside and outside of the chambers. Dave Ridley has already posted an ambush interview of Concord police chief John Duval to his youtube channel, in which he asks the top cop if he expected anyone beyond DHS bureaucracy to read his grant application. Ridley’s coverage, from which more is to be expected later, is embedded below.
Tony Schinella’s article at Concord Patch includes quotes from city councilors on both sides the issue, who were reportedly offered copies of Radley Balko’s Rise of the Warrior Cop while they were considering their decision. After word of the vote came out to the crowd, the message on the green beam laser pointed at a nearby steeple read, “BEARCAT FOR SALE CALL 911”. (more…)
In this episode we discuss the upcoming race for city council, the latest cannabis decrim proposal in Keene and the successful copblocking of a recent DUI checkpoint in Walpole. Ian Freeman joins.
Less than 24 hours ago, I had never cop-blocked before.
For the unaware, allow me to describe: the term “cop-block”, coined by CopBlock.org, is the de-escalation of a potentially dangerous situation with police employees, by ensuring that all parties are held accountable for their actions. The main task is filming police interactions, but there’s more: getting names and badge numbers of the employees, repeatedly asking “Am I being detained?” to establish the requirement that there be suspicion of your having committed a crime for a stop to even be taking place, and refraining from saying anything more than “Am I free to go?”, as police are trained (and legally protected) to lie to you in an effort to prompt you to say something that they could use to prosecute you. (more…)
The audience of the Keene district court on Wednesday had the unique privilege of seeing Prince John exposed for secretly bestowing undue royal authority upon city employees. The Prince acknowledged on the stand to granting an unconstitutional “no-trespass order” authority on police officers in response to complaints in Keene’s Central Square. The ability to dole out punishments is specifically a utility afforded the judicial branch, and only following a finding of guilt given due process of law. Prince John decided via royal decree to invite KPD employees (under which the AKPF is a subdivision) to play legislative, executive, and judicial functions by implementing this policy. While Graham, through his volunteering attorney Jon Meyer, is the first to challenge this unlawful ban, it is unknown how many other members of the community were given no-trespassing orders from the town square for such innocuous acts as bicycling and skateboarding. Knight Jason Short testifies that he obediently observed the decree in accordance with royal commandment. In Keene, artwork often suggests enforcement of the ordinance provisions are carried out by the infamous Aqua Keene Parking Force. See the video below of his majesty’s court being turned against him. (more…)
I was grateful to be asked to moderate the civil disobedience panel this year at Porcfest and so I chose as my panelists the heroic activists who have spent the most time behind bars, Ademo Freeman, Derrick J Freeman, Lauren Canario, and Jim Johnson. It was an excellent panel with some great audience questions. Thanks to Paul and Athena from Red Pill Productions for doing the video work.