That’s the question Andrew Quemere was asking himself as he was walked from his workplace to the Keene Police Department this morning. Apparently arrested for loitering in the back of a truck. However, Andrew was assigned by his workplace to be in the back of that truck. While exercising his right to not show ID, Andrew does not appear to have been confrontational or aggressive; he simply wanted to get back to work.
But when officer Chris Simonds threatened to throw him into the parking lot pavement, Andrew followed the officers’ commands and was handcuffed. Charged with “Obstructing Government Administration”, he was released on $2000 PR bond and has an arraignment date of August 10, 2009.
Very little information is known to anyone but the police so far, but a friend named Andrew was arrested this morning – probably a little before 8:40a – and is still being held at the police department. Fellow friends and liberty activists are at the police station trying to find out why their friend is being held captive. The only information the police are giving is that Andrew was arrested for not answering questions that police were asking. It is also known that Andrew said things like, “Stop arresting me, assholes,” but it in unclear whether the law enforcement officers were overreacting to “harsh” language or whether that language was itself a reaction to the police’s actions.
See, the problem with you Free Keene folks is you don’t know your place. There is a heirarchy and you don’t respect your superiors. The knights of the kingdom have special privileges. The laws apply to you but not to us. What’s it going to take before it sinks in? How much more do we have to intimidate you before you submit and accept your place in this fiefdom?
Are you going to cause trouble? We are just trying to keep the peace. Obey blindly and there will be peace. Quit forcing us to punish you.
Now look what you made me do! You’ve left me with no choice but to put you in a cage and make an example of you before you start giving all the other serfs ideas.
As of Monday July sixth, the people calling themselves the “State of New Hampshire” have imprisoned another videographer at the Cheshire jail. This time it’s Dave Ridley from RidleyReport.com. He’ll be spending six days in Chez Westmoreland because he dared to use his freedom of the press and record video in the lobby of the Keene district court. Videographer Sam Dodson spent 58 days in the same facility for recording video and then using his alleged right to remain silent. Sam, also a blogger here at Free Keene, was arrested at the arraignment forced on Dave. Now having been forced into a trial and found guilty, Dave has turned himself in (under their threat of violence, of course) for a six day sentence. Nearly twenty liberty activists came out and had a picnic and sign-waving rally on the jail grounds. The prisoners were pleased to see us, as always.
Total cost to jail peaceful activists in Cheshire county so far in 2009? At over $30,000 per year to imprison people in NH, Dave’s six days, Sam’s 58, and Andrew Carroll’s nine, that’s at least $6,000. How much they spent on all the bureaucracy (police, court, sheriffs) to get them in jail is another question entirely. Either way, it seems that mass civil disobedience and noncooperation are keys to freedom (plus education and enlightenment) and that when more disobey and say no, it will begin to cost the violent monopolists more and more. May they one day see the error in their ways!
Liberty activists called WKBK’s “Talkback” on Saturday morning and discussed the gun in the room and the police (prompted by some good questions from the condescending Dartmouth guy). You’ll also hear me appear for about a half an hour as a guest. I discussed the Free State Project, liberty activism, theft, the hitpieces by Pam Martens, why New Hampshire was chosen, why I chose Keene, fighting, following rules, and market justice. Thanks to Cynthia for having me in again – it’s always fun. Interestingly this time, none of the callers during my segment were vitriolic towards me or other liberty activists. An indicator perhaps of shifting attitudes from Keeniacs?
Please join us for our weekly listening, chat, and calling sessions on Saturday mornings from 9a-12p in the Free Keene Chat room. If you’re online, you can listen to Talkback streamed live via the Liberty Radio Network and if you’re in the Keene area you can tune in to WKBK 1290 AM or 104.1 FM. The Talkback discussion thread is here on the Free Keene Forum.
After being arrested and imprisoned on garbage charges, Pete, Jason, and Adam of the Motorhome Diaries recorded their return to “MARV”, their RV, as they picked it up from the impound yard. If you’ve never had your car searched by the police, you’ll be shocked to see what they do daily in the name of the insane “War on Drugs”:
Liberty activists called WKBK’s “Talkback” on Saturday morning and discussed the gun in the room and the police (prompted by some good questions from the condescending Dartmouth guy). You’ll also hear me appear for about a half an hour as a guest. I discussed the Free State Project, liberty activism, theft, the hitpieces by Pam Martens, why New Hampshire was chosen, why I chose Keene, fighting, following rules, and market justice. Thanks to Cynthia for having me in again – it’s always fun. Interestingly this time, none of the callers during my segment were vitriolic towards me or other liberty activists. An indicator perhaps of shifting attitudes from Keeniacs?
