On a recent layover in Detroit, I was filming roaming squads of TSA agents searching passengers at the gates. I didn’t feel like answering their questions, and their response was, well, see for youself . . .
In part 1 I interact with Janetta a TSA “Behavior Detection Officer”
The airport police show up to continue the harassment in part 2: (more…)
More from the Keene-inspired activists in Manchester, who have experienced their first civil disobedience arrest in recent memory. More video may be coming, but for now here’s the scene as described by liberty activist Joe Skinner:
Two Activists Arrested in Manchester for a 420 Celebration.
Saturday January 16th 2010 was an unseasonably warm day in the New Hampshire region. Because of this my roommate Mike and I figured it would be a perfect day to go, live free and hold an impromptu 420 celebration at Veteran’s Park in down town Manchester. Celebrations like the one we were planning that morning were held throughout the late summer and fall in both Keene and Manchester, NH. These celebrations, in which the participants partake in the public and open consumption of cannabis, were left completely unmolested in every instance of them occurring in the Manchester area. That is until that Saturday in January.
Around 4:00 PM Mike and I arrive on scene, close to the corner of Elm and Central in down town Manchester. We did not expect a large turnout because of the short notice, so we sat down smoked a cigarette and figured we’d just wait around until the hour arrived to do the public consumption and leave. We had done this dozens of times a few months earlier and it all seemed almost routine that afternoon. By the time it reached 4:20PM there were a total of six of us that had gathered, three of which were actually participating in celebration.
As we were passing around a marijuana cigarette (and may I mention, not hurting, nor bothering any passersby) two gentlemen who were wearing jeans, fleece jackets and baseball caps, entered the circle and asked if we were smoking. As we were not there to hide anything we acknowledged what we were doing without even giving it a second thought. At that moment the two men identified themselves as police and stated that we were observed to be smoking marijuana in public and that we were being detained by the officers. (more…)
The police in Manchester finally pounced on a spontaneous 4:20 celebration today in Veteran’s Park. (Is this the first civil disobedience arrest in Manchester?) After being illegally searched by the police, Brian Manning was arrested, allegedly for possession of cannabis. After shaking down the rest of the group, Big Mike is told he can leave. As he is surrounded by the police, he walks between two and brushes against one of them (it happens at 3:20 in the video). He is then immediately grabbed and arrested for assaulting a police officer! Big Mike is currently in Valley St. jail in Manchester and is allegedly refusing to identify himself. Remember, in the “land of the free”, refusing to identify yourself will result in you being locked in prison for an indeterminate period of time, as Sam discovered last year.
Here’s the raw footage of Mike’s arrest. If anyone has other footage of the scene (especially Brian’s arrest), please post links to the comments!
As previously reported, Andrew from Keene was held for 2.5 hours by Vermont troopers on December 2nd after he was pulled over, refused a search, a drug dog came out, alerted on the vehicle, and the police tore it apart looking for drugs.
Andrew’s supporters who had driven from Keene to help him were told if they didn’t leave the scene then the police would tow the car away. The previous video left off at the point where Andrew is going to be left alone with the troopers. Part 2 of the video completes the story.
If you’re not going to watch the entire video, skip to timecode 4:45 to watch how happy the trooper is when he thinks he’s found something.
A FreeKeene supporter was pulled over on Wednesday afternoon around 5:20pm for a broken headlight. He was not released until nearly 8pm after the State police brought drug dog out, claimed it alerted on his vehicle, and searched every single thing in his car and on his person, including his shoes and socks. In the end, no drugs were ever found.
Andrew M refused consent to let troopers search his car. They waited 25 minutes for the canine unit to come and walk around it, and then the troopers claimed the dog alerted on the vehicle. Andrew was then given 2 options: Consent to a search, or the car would be taken in. Andrew chose the lesser of two major inconveniences and indicated he’d let the police search him and his car.
Nick Ryder, a FreeKeene blogger, and Chris Miranda, another FreeKeene supporter, arrived on scene with a camera. However, when the trooper wanted to begin his car search, he claimed he would seize the car if Chris and Nick did not leave, so the camera stayed behind in Andrew’s hands while Chris and Nick monitored the situation from afar.
Below is part 1 of the video taken from Wednesday night.
[Transcribed from Kurt’s “Mail From Jail” letter, which can be found here. Be sure to visit Mail-to-Jail to write letters to Kurt in jail.]
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 A.D., Day 40 – 140 to go…
If you hadn’t heard from me by now, it’s because I thought I’d be doing a Porc411 by now and letting you all know that the torture was suspended. Well… it’s not. After “my” hearing yesterday, Judge Burke gave the word that we ought to have his order in about 30 minutes for my release. That was day 39 of my pain, neglect, sadness, loss, headache, heartache, and lots of other “wonderful” things. Today is day 40 and quite honestly I don’t know if I can take much more of this. The pain that has been in my body for so long now, the neglect of the ones who are supposed to have the job of caring for me has gone on now for far too long. What “lesson” could I possibly be learning here? Immediately after “my” anxiety filled video hearing here from the jail, my words were used against me, twisted in a way that I can’t possibly understand the motive. The “Corrections” OFficer, Merrill, and I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, misheard what I said and immediately used it as an opportunity to keep me caged by calling the court via tele. Granted, I’m not the most eloquent of speakers these days and it’s compounded dramatically further due to my 40 day long incessant pain in my body, it’s just not easy to smile folks. I’m just being honest. So, it’s possible he took my words to mean something other than what they were intended to express. I felt like vomiting, I often do. It’s likely due to any combination of aches, pains, stress, anxiety, side affects of long term Motrin use *which thankfully I’ve been switched over to a generic Tramadol (sp?) pill which is helping a bit more, etc. I’m not exactly un-grumpy a lot. Do you think that gets taken into consideration? No, it got twisted. I get further beaten into the ground, miss my family, my dog, my ability to care, my ability to get proper care, my fingers… oh… yes, two plus two DOES equal five! And the beatings continue. No, I am at the point where I understand that I do not deserve this. I have all along felt that way, but now more than ever. I never hurt anyone, but I can tell you that I understand why people do, who have no ability to cope or forgive, do hold awful resentment upon departure from a place like this. It only is the product of what this place manufactures. When are WE going to stop this insanity? The system of fake justice has beaten me. I’m just being honest folks. I really don’t know what to do now.
Aubern has been working with tenacity that is unbelievable, to get me out. My friends, family, brothers and sisters have been praying for and with me. Where is any kind of real justice? I’m sorry if I’m coming off as being full of self pity. I do know that it isn’t just me who this is costing. (more…)
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