WMUR’s Kristin Carosa filed this report after Thursday night’s city committee meeting where they voted to investigate a possible ordinance for graffiti that may include all downtown chalking if one city councilor gets his way:
Matthew “Yankee” Oldershaw
Matthew “Yankee” Oldershaw, hospitalized last week after being shoved into the Central Square fountain (allegedly by James Michael Phillips), has spoken out to give his side of the story. In an interview with the Keene Sentinel, Yankee says he did NOT grab local businesswoman Dorrie O’Meara’s arm. His claim is backed up by multiple witnesses.
Interestingly, he admits that he was the one who chalked the war monument and says that when police asked him to remove it, he did.
Finally, he clarifies that he’s not with Free Keene, but instead part of the Occupy movement.
The Sentinel interview was conducted from Yankee’s hospital bed, where he has been diagnosed with a broken shoulder blade, fractured collarbone, several other hairline fractures and a concussion. He has since checked himself out of the hospital, rejecting their recommendation of surgery. He can barely walk.
This week on Wednesday at 6pm a city committee will hear a proposal for a new graffiti ordinance with “teeth”, because chalking must be stopped! Looks like the War on Chalk continues to escalate as the peaceful chalkers continue to occupy the square with happy, positive artwork. Indeed, a new community group has been formed, the Hopscotch Preservation Society.
The Union Leader has also published a story about the War on Chalk, though author Megan Pierce unfortunately did not appear to contact anyone from Free Keene for comment.
Plus, local activist David Crawford submitted this Letter to the Editor of the Sentinel: (more…)
WMUR’s Kristen Carosa came to town yesterday to report on the War on Chalk:
Also, the Keene Sentinel ran a story reporting on Matthew “Yankee” Oldershaw a local chalker who was the victim of a recent attack in central square. Oldershaw is currently hospitalized with serious injuries. The alleged attacker has been identified as James Michael Phillips, originally from Virginia, another violent transplant from outside NH. Here’s the Sentinel piece by Alyssa Dandrea and Ella Nilsen: (more…)
Rich Paul, who was out on probation after spending nearly a year in jail for the “crime” of selling flowers has been arrested and taken straight to the jail aka Keene Spiritual Retreat. The probation department alleges that he has continued to consume the evil flowers and that Rich was in possession of a weapon at the recent attack on chalkers Monday night. (Rich had a monopod on his camera and detached it and held it at the ready for self-defense as two potential assailants approached him.)
UPDATE: You can now write to Rich in jail via Mail-to-Jail!
UPDATE: Here’s the paperwork from probation with the alleged violations of probation against Rich.
UPDATE: He will have a bail hearing Friday at 9am and at this time he is facing the prospect of years in prison. Stay tuned to Free Keene for the latest. Here’s the RAW video of his arrest:
![Gericke_Carla2008[1]](https://i0.wp.com/freekeene.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Gericke_Carla20081.gif)
After being trounced in the 1st federal circuit court, the Town of Weare and the notoriously corrupt Weare Police Department have settled with Free State Project President Carla Gericke to the tune of $57,500!
After Weare police had arrested her for “wiretapping” for recording a traffic stop then dropped the charges, Carla sued. She had recently won an “interlocutory” appeal case where the 1st circuit decided (again) that there is an established right to record government police doing their job in public and that police cannot claim “qualified immunity” from personal liability when arresting videographers.
The civil case against Weare, the WPD, and the individual officers was remanded back to the federal district court to move ahead to trial, but now that trial has been canceled with the news that Weare has given up and settled the case for over $57,000! Plus, there are no restrictions on her discussing the case, as are typically found with settlements. Congratulations to Carla and her attorneys for this epic win!
Throughout some STOP FREE KEENE!!! members’ War on Chalk, chalk has always been made available to them by liberty activists so that the SFK!!! members can express themselves and add their ideas to the mix, rather than deleting other people’s ideas. Until now, they have refused to participate in the chalking.
Now, in a pleasantly surprising turn of events, one of the 20 silent protesters from a few weeks back has broken the silence and chalked his own message! His message was found this morning outside of the Shire Free Church’s parsonage in Keene. It says “THIS HOUSE IS A FRAUD!”, with an arrow. Rich Paul chalked above it earlier today, adding, “Boston Strong Can Chalk!!!”. The SFK!!!-supporting man was in Central Square on Monday night washing chalk off the sidewalk when he and another local man who was chalking got into a verbal confrontation. The man allegedly claimed to be from Boston and allegedly threatened the local chalker. He was given the moniker of “Boston Strong” as a result. At this time his identity is unknown.
“Boston Strong”
Boston is most certainly the chalker from this morning. Not only did he hold a sign with a similar message in the silent protest, but he also lives a few houses down River Street from the church parsonage. Plus, a man wearing a hoodie was seen leaving Boston’s house, chalking the message, then returning to Boston’s house at approximately 5:17 this morning.
It was during the verbal confrontation at Central Square involving Boston on Monday night that alleged Pedrazas/Pour House employees threatened and attacked the local chalkers. Interestingly, one of the men who threatened and came at the chalkers (who also stole appears to steal and smash Garret’s camera) is from Washington DC. Funny that some people critique Free State Project participants for coming here wanting to live free, all the while people fomenting violence and destruction of artwork in the streets of Keene are also NOT from New Hampshire. (more…)
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