by Ian | Sep 25, 2009 |
Despite rumors of a crackdown, thus far no one has been arrested this week for smoking cannabis in Central Square. I just wanted to thank Keene police officers for using their discretion and leaving peaceful people be. Please continue this behavior in this and other situations, and you’ll be well on your way to restoring respect for your profession if all you are doing is pursuing real criminals who have harmed another. Respecting the choices of peaceful people will in turn earn their respect.
by Ian | Sep 25, 2009 |
Thanks to the Keene Sentinel’s Casey Farrar for this story:
What began earlier this week with two friends smoking marijuana in Keene’s Central Square has become a steadily growing group that drew a crowd of more than 70 people Thursday afternoon.
Some of those gathered called themselves protestors for the legalization of marijuana, others said they just showed up to join in and smoke marijuana. Several said they plan to be back on the square this afternoon — at 4:20 p.m.
The number 420 is used in the drug subculture to represent marijuana smoking.
The crowd Thursday began trickling in shortly after 4 p.m. Several people carried handmade signs in favor of legalizing marijuana with phrases such as “My body my choice: Legalize drugs,” and “Leaf Us Alone.”
At 4:20 p.m., (more…)
by Sam Dodson | Sep 25, 2009 |
MoCo Arts is a non profit, community-based, family-centered organization sharing the gift of dance primarily with children in the community. Their building was overdue for an exterior remodel, and they settled on this mural: 
The City of Keene decided to lend a hand by threatening fines and tax liens initially. Ordinances are the ordinances, and the city acted quickly to ensure compliance. All work was halted until MoCo could hire an attorney and spend weeks working through the government courts.
Why would the city bureaucrats be so generous? The mural, for the dance studio, has dancers on it. While many of you may be underwhelmed by such an egregious violation on MoCo’s behalf, the city council has an ordinance regulating signs, and ordinances are ordinances. They claim the mural became a sign when they decided to paint a dancer. Wouldn’t it be earlier if property owners were free to paint their buildings the way they thought best?
Needless to say, after weeks in court they are doing their best to finish before winter. Can you help out?
Details on volunteering can be found here, and I’m inviting Free Keene readers out tomorrow, Saturday the 26th of Setptember, from 12pm-5pm. This is a total volunteer effort, so wear your panting clothes and bring supplies if you have them. Hope to see you there!
by Ian | Sep 25, 2009 |
It’s happening again today at 4:20pm! Thanks to Melanie Plenda at the Union Leader for this article:
KEENE – With the flick of a Bic and the bull-horned battle cry of, “Smoke ’em, if you got ’em,” nearly 75 people gathered to protest drug laws by lighting up, once again, in downtown’s Central Square. Marijuana rights advocates have been gathering daily for the past week each day at 4:20 p.m. to smoke pot in protest of drug laws. The number 420 is a code used by police officers to indicate the presence of marijuana.
Yesterday afternoon was no exception, but the crowd was much bigger in the wake of a New Hampshire Union Leader story that ran Thursday about people gathering to smoke on the square
Dozens of people streamed into the square and set up camp until precisely 4:20 p.m., when several members of the group could be seen lighting what appeared to be marijuana cigarettes and glass pipes and passing around brownies they said contained marijuana. (more…)
by Ian | Sep 25, 2009 |
Thanks to WKBK’s newsman Brad Ryder who filed this report on yesterday’s public smoke-out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9E3kLiGNag
Will the crowd grow for today’s event? Time will tell.
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by JJ Epic | Sep 24, 2009 |
The announced cannabis smoking event went as planned with no intervention from the state. As many as a hundred people showed up at Central Square in Keene to live as free men and women. Many cameras and cigarettes were seen in hands of an upbeat crowd of people. The smell of marijuana wafted in the air for a few moments here and there as I passed through the throng.
In between fits of laughter and cheering, people were heard pointing out the Keene Police cruisers circling the center. Officers did not step upon the center but instead stayed on the street and were seen talking with activists and locals; no arrests were made or summons handed out. Reporters were on hand from both the Union Leader and the Keene Sentinel as well as a video crew from the Obscured Truth Network.
This event is scheduled to take place everyday at 4:20pm.
by Ian | Sep 24, 2009 |
Apparently my information was a little incorrect yesterday. It was the Union Leader, not the Sentinel that sent a reporter to cover the mass smoke out happening at Central Sq. Though the Sentinel is now aware and reporter Anika Clark called this morning to comment on a story she’s writing for today’s Sentinel. Thanks to the Union Leader’s Melanie Plenda for this story:
KEENE – As city councilors debate a resolution to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, a small group has quietly taken matters into their own hands — lighting up on Central Square.
“Every day at 4:20 p.m., we get together to smoke pot in the square,” Noah Wood, 19, of Keene said yesterday. “Everyone smokes it. Well maybe not everyone, I’m sure, but a lot of people smoke it and so why keep it a secret? Why keep it illegal? It should be out in the open.” (more…)
