I’ve been giving those ridiculous arrests by Weare Police Department some thought and I’ve come to conclude something: they are wishing, and hoping, and praying that House Bill 145 is passed by the Senate and signed into law by Governor John Lynch.
If that bill becomes law, which it should, Weare PD gets to drop the derisory charges that are still pending (for the third time) and claim that they had no choice as the law has changed. How convenient for Weare PD.
According to a local CA newspaper (click for full article), two free-staters who have yet to move to NH have been arrested for wearing masks and having an anti-tax sign:
Benjamin and Russell Bartholomew were arrested Wednesday afternoon after hanging a 20-foot-long sign with an anti-tax message from an overpass on Highway 70 south of Marysville…
Charges are expected to include affixing a sign to state property and wearing masks to escape recognition while committing a public offense. The brothers are scheduled to appear May 24 in Yuba County Superior Court. Benjamin, 26, said Thursday that the sign — large black letters on pieces of white poster board roped together — was up only about five minutes before patrol cars arrived at the Erle Road overpass.
Here’s the video from the side of the road where Ben and Russell do a great job refusing to cooperate with the FIVE police aggressors, and point out the violence in the system:
While reading the excellent article by the Union Leader that Ian Freeman blogged about earlier, I couldn’t help but notice the following comment:
“It would be a real tragedy if one of these people were shot in the face while reaching for a recording device that looks much like a weapon.
– The Blue Boot, manchester”
There is absolutley no conclusive evidence that this commenter was in fact a member of law enforcement. For the sake of argument, please assume that he is.
What Mr. Boot is suggesting is that members of the public utilizing cameras to record public servants performing public functions (as allowed by the 1st Amendment all law enforcement officers swore an oath to uphold) be shot under the fabricated guise of a justifiable shooting.
After three arrests of liberty-loving activists simply for recording video, dozens of activists showed up at Weare PD to try to hold these jokers accountable and we were of course, ignored – mostly. They actually closed the public part of their office for the day prior to our arrival! The cops even refused to come and respond to a call in their own parking lot. Later, they actually ordered pizza for us, had it delivered in my name, (I was the one who had called the department on my cell phone and requested they come out) and had the pizza company write on the boxes: “PORKY PIG SPECIAL” and “Compliments of your Friends @ WEARE PD”
Some people who appeared to be firemen flipped us the bird. Video to come. Pot was smoked and fire burned. One activist was having a cookout over an open flame right out in front of the police station. The PD was left with bushels of flowers adorning their front door (click for video). It was an interesting day. Here’s the Union Leader’s Greg Kwasnik reporting on the event:
More than 30 people gathered in front of the Weare police station Wednesday to protest the department, which has in the last 13 months arrested and charged three people with felony wiretapping for recording police activity.
Waving “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and signs reading “We Will Record,” protesters argued that the department overstepped its authority by bringing charges against people who recorded officers performing public duties.
“I don’t think they like being confronted by informed citizens that know their rights. I think that many of them are corrupt and they have a bad reputation,” said Bill Domenico, of Manchester. “If it’s on the job, it’s on the record.” (more…)
I just read an article about the City of Dayton, Ohio being told by the United States Department of Justice that they will have to lower their testing standards because not enough black people are able to pass their police entrance exam.
Why on Earth should it matter what color someone’s skin is?
On 01/23/11 when Seth Gagne passed a note to a pharmacist in Rochester, NH, his intentions were made quite clear:
“Police say he passed a note to a pharmacist saying that if the pharmacist “pushed the button and did not return, (the pharmacist) would die.””
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