Nick Ryder has published the latest video to show the arrests of 5 people in downtown Keene that took place on Sunday. It all began after one woman was arrested for drinking a beer on a City bench.
As of Monday Morning, all arrested activists except for Rich Paul and Ian are out of custody with pending charges. It is unclear why either is still in, or what they are charged with, but the most updated information will be found on our forum thread about this subject at http://forum.freekeene.com/index.php?topic=3564
Do humans have a right to sit in public and drink a bottle of water?
A glass of lemonade?
A can of beer?
Some people think we should not have a right to drink the latter, but how are they different? Who is more hurt because a woman drinks a beer outside as opposed to water?
Activists were arrested Sunday evening in Keene. A woman named Heika was arrested first for possession of an open alcohol container in The Square. Further arrests occurred when activists Meg, Wes, Ian, and Rich Paul did not back down from standing in front and behind the police cruisers trying to take Heika and others away.
Further arrests occurred at the police station for allegedly having an open alcohol container inside the police station.
Police in NH and around the country continue to arrest people for filming them, bad teachers in the UK, an undercover cop tackles a teenager trying to enter his own home, and Massachusetts passes a law that threatens to make much of the Internet illegal.
“No police scrutiny: Drop the camera and back away”
“Take care, New Hampshire, that you don’t let the police catch you using your cell phone or video camera to record their interactions with the public. You could be arrested and charged with a felony.”
“It shouldn’t be a crime to record public officials doing their jobs or to record public disturbances or other crimes. Doing so can be a public service. (Had someone taped the incident involving Christopher Micklovich and four off-duty Manchester police officers outside the Strange Brew Tavern earlier this year, that saga would not be dragging on and on.) But in New Hampshire it’s not only a crime, it’s a felony. This needs to change.”
Pretty easy editorial to agree with. What possible public benefit accrues from barring citizens from recording their interactions with governmental officials (particularly ones trained and authorized to use violence)? New Hampshire has some of the best and most professional police officers in the country, and as long as they stay that way they should have no reason to object to being recorded.
– Peter, Canterbury
Wow. Thank you Union Leader for such an awesome piece. The article is located here.
All Charges have been dropped against Christopher Micklovich who was arrested after being beat up by four off-duty Manchester police officers. Micklovich was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, simple assault and resisting arrest.
As previously reported, three of the officers were suspended after an internal review found that they violated standard operating procedures. Jonathan Duchesne, Michael Buckley and Matt Jajuga were all suspended without pay for an undisclosed period of time. The fourth officers, Lt. Ernie Goodno faces no penalties as he retired from the force shortly after the incident.
Although an internal review found the officers did not act in a criminal manner, the Hillsborough County Attorney, Robert Walsh, has decided to review the matter himself. This has enraged two different police unions, who insist the public should be left in the dark as to what actually happened outside the Strange Brew Tavern on March 3, 2010. (more…)
On March 3, 2010, Chris Micklovich was asked to leave a bar in Manchester because he had too much to drink. Once outside the bar, Chris was met by four off-duty police officers. The officers proceeded to cause 26 facial fractures to Chris’s face before arresting him, although they claim they did nothing wrong.
After an internal review, the officers were found to have “violated standard operating procedures,” although their actions were “were not criminal.”
If it takes four officers to beat a drunk guy half to death in order to take him into custody, the officers are either acting criminally, or they are so incompetent at their jobs that they should never be given a badge again.
Instead of going to jail, as anyone else who did this would, the officers are being suspended without pay for an undisclosed period of time.
What is particularly disturbing about this case is the fact that four officers participated in this. Michael Buckley, Jonathan Duchesne, Matt Jajuga and Lt. Ernie Goodno either participated in this act of aggression, or stood by and watched it happen. All but one of these officers, Goodno who recently retired, will be back on the beat in no time, “protecting us.” I know I feel safe.
All Charges have been 
