The video of last night’s arrests is not yet available – stay tuned here to Free Keene for that. However, the Keene Sentinel’s Kyle Jarvis has written up his report:
Two men affiliated with the libertarian Free Keene movement were arrested Thursday night when they refused to dispose of what appeared to be alcoholic beverages during a Keene City Council meeting.
Ian Bernard, 30, of Keene, who goes by the name Ian Freeman, and Sam Miller, 34, of Keene, who goes by Sam Dodson, were arrested by Keene Police Chief Kenneth J. Meola during a recess of the meeting.
The men were part of a group protesting the city rules on having an open container of alcohol in public.
As the meeting began, approximately eight to 10 people associated with Free Keene.com sat in the audience, some wielding video cameras, including Miller.
About half appeared to be drinking bottled beer, which they’d brought in a small cooler.
About 10 minutes into the meeting, Mayor Philip Dale Pregent announced, “We do not allow alcoholic beverages in council chambers,” and advised the group, “If you don’t dispose of the beverages, you’ll be asked to leave.” (more…)
Pete and Adam from Liberty on Tour present a two-part update on the aggression that was committed against them by the people calling themselves the “Town of Greenfield”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6qadEI5Nno (more…)
Heika‘s letter to the editor was published in the Union Leader yesterday, but they apparently don’t put those on their website, so Heika kindly sent Free Keene a copy:
First things first: Baring one’s breasts in public is not a crime, nor is it illegal. That said, I also want to make clear that, contrary to what your article of July 19 implied, there were not several of us parading around downtown, taking off our clothes. A very talented local artist and I decided it would be beautiful to have my breasts painted. He was very respectful of not touching my body in any way except on a professional level. We were sitting on a park bench, covering what was not being painted.
I was officially—and wrongfully—arrested for holding an open container of alcohol in a public place. For the record, I was not intoxicated. Part of the reason people gather daily on the common in downtown Keene is to peacefully protest this ludicrous law. Some drink, while others socialize. Many people feel we are not properly going about achieving our goal to see changes in personal freedoms (such as drinking a beer on a property that we are required to pay for), but at least we are trying. Writing the government to ask them to change the law simply doesn’t work.
We are very peaceful in our gatherings. We leave the park cleaner than the way we found it, we don’t scream belligerently at cars or people passing through, and we do not threaten or harm anyone in any way. That sort of behavior is frequently seen on the patios of downtown restaurants and bars, yet the police do nothing about that. Why are we the ones being singled out and crucified? (more…)
This past Tuesday, Heika was arrested after using a megaphone to speak in front of the Keene District Court. It’s worth noting again, Heika was not warned that her behavior would lead to arrest or seizure of property; police just walked up and arrested her.
The police took the megaphone, which was no longer in Heika’s hands, as evidence to be held for her court date. Heika’s charges were fully dealt with on Wednesday morning in a plea deal, but she had not been given the megaphone back yet.
Now, Keene Police are asking for the court’s permission to destroy or sell the megaphone! It does not belong to Heika, nor does it belong to the police, of course. But they have filed a motion to “Destroy Contraband and/or Forfeit Property and Destroy or Sell Same”. Essentially attempting to permanently keep this piece of property, which is not illegal to own, out of the hands of it’s owner.
Pete and Adam from Liberty on Tour cover one of this week’s demonstrations for Rich Paul and other peaceful prisoners:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBfKTdA5diQ
A new face showed up at tonight’s Nightcap. Dorian told her story of the Keene police, who she previously had been a fan of, harassing her for doing spray painting (artwork on paper, not graffiti on buildings). They threatened her apparently and demanded she beg for permission from the city government people and pay some absurd amount of money for their piece of paper. Instead, she told them she was joining the “free staters” and showed up with a fire breathing performance tonight:
