The Keene Equinox Reports on the Absence of Activist Arrests at Pumpkin Fest

by | Oct 24, 2010 | 58 comments

Thanks to Andrew Reynolds at the Keene Equinox for this piece:

A year after six protestors were arrested for allegedly smoking pot, the scene at this year’s Pumpkin Fest remained relatively joyous and peaceful.

Last year, state and local police officers encircled a group of 15 to 25 pro-marijuana demonstrators in front of City Hall and interrupted their gathering after three of the protestors supposedly lit up a marijuana cigarette. Later, three more protestors were arrested and charged with misdemeanors.

Both the protestors and the wafting tang of marijuana smoke were absent this year. Yet police officers still poured out of the City Hall entrance. Within the half hour between 3:30 and 4:00, more than 10 officers unhurriedly emerged from the building. This time there were no signs, no megaphones, and no pot parties.

According to a Free Keene member who witnessed the demonstration at City Hall, at least a dozen police officers surrounded last year’s group of about 20 protestors. (more…)

Keene Police Shutdown Bake Sale for Homeless Shelter

by | Oct 18, 2010 | 90 comments

During the Keene NH 2010 Pumpkin Festival, a mix of local law enforcement forced a local Cub Scout group to shutdown their fundraiser. They were on private property exactly has they had done the previous 4 years.

After setting the cub scouts strait, they moved on to shut down a bake sale fundraiser for the local homeless shelter.

(more…)

Police Shut Down Cub Scouts’ Cotton Candy Booth and Homeless Shelter’s Bake Sale

by | Oct 18, 2010 | 84 comments

What would we do without the heroes in the Keene Police Department? Thank goodness they are here to keep us safe from the criminal Cub Scouts selling us cotton candy and the volunteers at the Hundred Nights shelter selling us baked goods! Here’s the news story from the Sentinel. I heard there was video taken, but I haven’t seen it pop up yet.

Many businesses and nonprofit organizations name Pumpkin Festival as their most profitable selling day or fundraiser.

But a few fundraisers were cut short by police and festival organizers.

Police shut down three vendors for operating without permits this year.

One of them was the Cub Scout Pack 297 cotton candy booth. (more…)