Lenco Gets a Paycheck, Concord Gets a BEARCAT

myVader-Sert-BearcatConcord police will be receiving a Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck, after an 11-4 vote by the full city council in favor of accepting the military-style vehicle funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant to the Lenco corporation. The fire chief closed the building to many attendees, calling capacity at a reported 70 guests. Drum circles, light shows, sign waving, videography, and socializing occurred in the courtyard outside of the council meeting location on Green Street. Media from around the state observed proceedings both inside and outside of the chambers. Dave Ridley has already posted an ambush interview of Concord police chief John Duval to his youtube channel, in which he asks the top cop if he expected anyone beyond DHS bureaucracy to read his grant application. Ridley’s coverage, from which more is to be expected later, is embedded below.

Tony Schinella’s article at Concord Patch includes quotes from city councilors on both sides the issue, who were reportedly offered copies of Radley Balko’s Rise of the Warrior Cop while they were considering their decision. After word of the vote came out to the crowd, the message on the green beam laser pointed at a nearby steeple read, “BEARCAT FOR SALE CALL 911”. (more…)

Record Number of Liberty-Oriented Activists File For Keene Council, Mayoral Races

NHLP_squarePolitical action is alive and well in Keene with a record six activists jumping into the Keene municipal elections this year!

In the Ward and Mayoral races, liberty activists are the ONLY competition to the statist incumbents (This is a list of the current candidates – the main filing deadline closed this afternoon.)!

More information about the candidates will be coming soon.  They include  David Crawford, James “Robin Hood” Cleaveland, and Conan Salada, in wards 1, 2, and 4, respectively.  In the at-large race, I am running and in the mayoral race both Rich Paul and Darryl W. Perry are running.   Mark your calendar for the general election date of Tuesday, November 5, 2013! A primary election is scheduled for October 8, one candidate will be eliminated from the At-Large City Council election, and the Mayoral race will be reduced to 2 candidates.

Would you like to be around a bunch of other people who care enough about liberty to do something?  Here are 150+ reasons to move to Keene!

Concord Council Votes 11-4 For BEARCAT

BEARCATJust like happened in Keene, the Concord city council voted 11-4 tonight to accept the Department of Homeland Security’s grant for the BEARCAT. When a similar vote happened in Keene’s city council in 2012, there were also four votes against it (and 9 votes for it – one councilor was absent and another had to abstain due to a conflict of interest).

As in Keene, the Concord councilors did not care what the people thought, despite over 1500 petitions signed against the BEARCAT and a huge outpouring of public opinion against it. The BEARCAT meetings were packed with concerned inhabitants and many more contacted the councilors outside the meeting to express their opposition. I cannot discern whether any councilors actually changed their minds on this vote, as the initial approval for the police to seek the grant happened a year ago and it was on the “consent calendar” of the council, which means they really didn’t vote on it at all initially. (As I understand it.)

Thanks to all the activists who spent so much time and effort on this – despite the council not caring, it was still good for outreach on the issue of militarization of police as well as lots of free press coverage. If you want to join the best liberty activism movement in the world, join the Free State Project, and move to NH ASAP!

Aqua Kzheckpoint Patrol Fortification #1

2013_09_09_akpfmasscopThis week’s fulfilling installment entered into the AKPF #1 timeslot on CheshireTV is Aqua Kzheckpoint Patrol Fortification #1, offering a unique perspective into a suspicionless checkpoint established on Route 12 in Walpole in addition to following up on AKPF #1 episode 10 Staatspolizei. Included in this episode are editorial videos by Dave Ridley, which do not represent the views of this channel, its staff, board of directors, or underwriters. Plus, you wouldn’t want to miss the unconstitutional anticamera tirade of Barnstable MassCop Gretchen Allen as captured by journalist Robert Bastille.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_lt0dF0WX0 (more…)

Over 1500 Sign Anti-BEARCAT Petition – City Council Votes Tonight

BEARCATConcord activists will be turning in over 1500 petitions against the BEARCAT police tank this afternoon. The protest against the BEARCAT begins tonight at 6pm at 41 Green St. in Concord. The city council meeting where they will supposedly vote on accepting a grant for the militaristic monstrosity begins tonight at 7pm at Concord city hall.

Media interviews are already being lined up for the Concord liberty activists. We’ll post them here to Free Keene as we become aware.