At Sunday morning’s presidential debate held at the Capitol Center for the Arts, one arrest was made during a foiled “mic check” attempt by Occupy New Hampshire activists. Matthew Richards of Manchester was arrested for trespassing after attempting to hold open a door at the theater to allow protesters into the debate. He was tackled by security and placed under arrest by Concord police. Dave Ridley captured the scene following the arrest, as Matthew is brought out of the building. This is his second protest related trespassing arrest, as he was also taken into custody for a short period following the eviction of the Occupy NH encampment in Veterans Park.
Ademo Freeman is sitting in a cage at Valley Street Jail in Manchester, NH.
His “crime”? Highlighting the double-standards claimed by some who wear “Manchester Police Department” badges on their costumes*. After a six-month ordeal, Ademo was found guilty of two “class a misdemeanors” for resisting (going limp) and one “class b misdemeanor” (for using children’s chalk on a public building).
Rick Santorum came to Keene this Friday and was met by a group of carol-singing activists. He was asked if he Googled himself, he was serenaded, and he was made to feel unwelcome. Local liberty activists Ian Freeman, Beau Davis, and Derrick J. Freeman were “asked to leave” the event–Keene Police took it upon themselves to put their hands on these men, pushing them up the stairs because one of Santorum’s staffers said, “I want them out.”
Yesterday while attending Occupy the Primary being held at Veterans Park in Manchester, I met MPD captain Robert Cunha. He had come to the park to discuss altering aspects of the occupation with participants in the protest. I had noticed when mailed my verdict following the trial held stemming from my Chalking 8 arrest that Capt. Cunha was CC’d a copy of the ruling. This indicates that he is likely the supervising officer in dealing with the cases that have stemmed from the chalking 8 incident. Following the arrests, it was the lower ranked sergeant Todd Boucher who spoke with press and was cited as the officer in charge during the incident. Sergeant John Patti was the officer who made or ordered six of the arrests. Joseph Mucci, also a sergeant, made 2 arrests and issued one citation that was later upgraded to a criminal charge.
Not surprisingly, Robert Cunha was not interested in discussing aspects of the case. That the potential still exists for legal action to be taken against Manchester PD for false arrest is likely what drives the silence. See my interaction with Cpt. Cunha embedded below:
On Monday, January 9, Ademo Freeman and Wesley Gilwreath will be sentenced following their convictions on chalking-related criminal mischief charges which were ruled upon December 27. Activists have planned to chalk in solidarity outside of the court prior to the sentencing hearing.