A new, twenty minute program on ConcordTV, the local access cable station show On the Beat will be hosted by community resource officer Ryan Howe. Concord-NH Patch had an article announcing the series yesterday. According to the article, “The department will collaborate with other stakeholders in the community to bring helpful information to viewers in furtherance of making Concord a great community to live, work and play. The department will also be looking to the community for input and suggestions for show topics as planning and production develops in the coming months.” The first episode is already available here.

A screen shot from the new series.

]]> http://freeconcord.org/2012/02/24/concord-police-to-host-local-access-show/feed/ 0 freeconcord onbeat_002 http://freeconcord.org/2012/02/19/a-reminder-to-the-new-hampshire-supreme-court/ http://freeconcord.org/2012/02/19/a-reminder-to-the-new-hampshire-supreme-court/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 03:07:02 +0000 freeconcord http://freeconcord.org/?p=1637 Continue reading →]]> Published over at Free Keene today is the following entry by Brad Jardis. Brad is a former law enforcement officer who will be representing Jason Talley, who was arrested for possession of a camera at the Cheshire County Superior Court.

This blog is made pursuant to NH Rules of Professional Conduct 3.6 (c) (2) and (c) (6) as the testimony I am referring to below was given at a public hearing at the New Hampshire Supreme Court, and thus, it is part of a public record. Additionally, the people of New Hampshire should be aware of the danger to the public interest.

As the time approaches where the string of events leading up to State v. Jason Talley becomes more and more public, I would like to remind the New Hampshire Supreme Court (and the news media) that at the “Rule 78” hearing on 12/16/11, (the rule about restrictions of New Hampshire’s Constitution Part I, Article 22 in the court system) that I attended, I stood right in front of you, on camera, and told you exactly how the courts were “inviolably” preserving the right to the freedom of the press in Cheshire County: a crime was committed by a sitting judge and high ranking judicial officials stripped rights away in an attempt to try and change the story.

I was even happy to see the former judge that I used to testify to as a police officer present on the panel. I figured it was beneficial to have someone on the panel who knows I am not a liar.

I spoke the truth, on camera, about the judicial cover-up occurring after Adam Mueller (Freeman)’s illegal arrest and how it ensnared Jason Talley. I was apparently ignored.

As Part II, Article 73-a makes you, the Supreme Court, the boss of all the lower courts in New Hampshire, I hope you are preparing to explain to the public how you were told specifically how a crime was being covered up in Cheshire County by judicial officers you supervise, but apparently did nothing about it.

Ademo Freeman

^— This man spent two days incarcerated for a crime he never committed. He spent two days incarcerated for constitutionally protected activity.

Hold Judge Burke and the other judges who are involved accountable because it is the ethical thing to do… not because politics forces you to do so later.

You’re not above the law…you’re entrusted with it.

Following this entry at Free Keene was a post indicating that a motion to restrain the court from using violence to enforce honoraries was denied.

2/4 Antiwar Rally in Minneapolis, MN

On Saturday, February 4, a national day of war resistance was celebrated in the streets of cities around the nation. Following a protest at the Obama re-election campaign office opening, I headed to Veterans Park in Manchester, where there was a rally against war, especially the increasingly hyped prospect of war with Iran. In recent weeks, it seems established powers have been banging the war drums ever more loudly.

It appears to be a geographic continuance of ongoing military conquests by the US government, that in taking Iraq and Afghanistan, the next ambition would be the powerhouse that divides them. Though there’s a history of mistrust between the US and Iran, one obstacle that neither militant faction of the two countries may be able to overcome is the ability of the people of Iran and the United States to directly communicate. The internet has provided a communications medium that two modern nations facing potential war never in history have had before. Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran has a particularly modernized society and culture. One would hope that everyday people are able to retain control over the mediums of communication, to maintain resistance to the spread of aggressive war.

Below is my raw video from the Veterans Park rally, featuring speakers and a flash mob-esque sign wave toward the end.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7Cm5HFCp30E

Occupy NH activist Matthew Richards has accepted a diversion program deal to avoid a trespassing charge stemming from his arrest in January. Matthew was arrested during the January 8 republican presidential debate at the Capitol Center for the Arts. Concord-nh.patch.com has the details of the program included in its coverage. At a hearing in a few months, it will be determined if the state will dismiss the misdemeanor charge. With this charge seemingly diverted, Matthew also faces a trespassing charge from the five arrests made during the Occupy NH eviction.

Ballistic Engineered Armored Response Counter Attack Truck

Free Keene activists have often been portrayed as an alternative to the mainstream of whatever it is they’re compared to. In NH state politics, they are the ominous extreme that some politicians take care to avoid being associated with. In the city of Keene itself, always considered a more socialist and statist locality in New Hampshire, activists with that region’s liberty movement have had little influence over the rigidly ritual Keene city council. During a protest drinking game which featured water in glass bottles, Mayor Dale Pregent had activists arrested, though charges were later dropped. In recent history, there have not been any city council measures which have been either proposed or revoked as credited to Free Keene activism.

In the past few days, a story has been brewing over whether the city would accept hundreds of thousands in federal dollars to purchase an armored assault vehicle being marketed as a rescue vehicle. Though it was approved in December, because of one city councilor’s reluctance to take the money, the issue has been brought up again and has seen much opposition to the proposal from not just the liberty activist community, but from the greater Keene population.

The most telling aspect of this development over how Keene will spend its monopoly money is how the company producing the vehicle, Lenco, has responded. On February 3, Ian Freeman posted the article, Is the Bearcat a rescue vehicle, as was suggested by city councilors? In the article was embedded a marketing video made by Lenco of the Bearcat, and very militarized police, in action. The video features a home being gassed similarly to the methods used in the final assault on the Branch Davidian compound in 1993. All of this is scored to Thunderstruck by AC/DC (which was surely not an inexpensive license to obtain). When the city council discussed the Bearcat at meetings, it was labeled as a rescue vehicle. The difficult to watch video paints a very different picture of how the machine is used. It is clear that how the idea is pitched to the people who will be using it, and how it is pitched to the people whom it will be used on are two separate concepts.

There was a proposal to have the video played at the city council meeting, which was objected to by councilors. Lenco, in the meantime, has privatized the video, making it no longer accessible to the public through themselves. Fortunately, nothing ever really vanishes from the internet, and CopBlock has hosted a copy of the revealing video on their YouTube channel. In trying to obscure it, Lenco has just attracted even more eyes to the video. See the anti-art embedded below, if you care to.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_tx-oRkQnr0

Could this be the milestone of Free Keene activists and the general public teaming up to curb a very open encroachment of the police state? We’ll see how it all unfolds.

Feb 15 2012: Today WMUR posted coverage of resistance to the Bearcat, including footage of Free Keene activists singing, “Thanks, but no tanks”.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xy8BYn0CVnE

Naz and Hope upon his release today.

In July of last year, we reported on the incarceration and pending deportation proceedings being brought against Nazry Mustakim, when NH activist Russell Kanning was arrested for chalking “Free Naz” at a Waco, TX federal courthouse. Nazry Mustakim is a Waco resident who was born in Singapore and grew up in the United States. After a series of legal proceedings, in which a prosecutor was attempting to try him again on years old drug charges, the state has decided to drop its case against him. His deportation has been canceled, and he is free to return to his home and family after having been imprisoned for 313 days.

Nazry’s success in beating the charges was assisted by the vocal, supportive community that organized around his case. His wife, Hope Mustakim, posted this announcement earlier today on freenaz.com:

At Naz’s Master Hearing yesterday, the prosecutor just decided to GRANT him the waiver to cancel his deportation just then and there! No future hearing, nothing. We are DONE! I am picking him up as soon as they release him this afternoon…

For Naz and I, our involvement in immigration reform is far from over. The heaviest tears we’ve cried during the past 10 months have been for the men [and women] in the detention centers who were so scared and confused, without a network of support to sustain them like Naz. They are sweet, hard-working, generous individuals. Dads, husbands, brothers…These are people, warm-blooded humans, children of God. And we refuse to settle back into “life” and forget about them. But honestly, we never could.

July chalking at the state house, Concord.

]]> http://freeconcord.org/2012/02/07/nazry-mustakim-released-to-freer-world/feed/ 1 freeconcord 2012_02_7_fin j12_001 http://freeconcord.org/2012/02/07/nashua-pd-refuses-chalking-intervention-at-obama-protest/ http://freeconcord.org/2012/02/07/nashua-pd-refuses-chalking-intervention-at-obama-protest/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:03:48 +0000 freeconcord http://freeconcord.wordpress.com/?p=1542 Continue reading →]]>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2JwPG9ceLI

by Garret Ean
Feb 7 2012

Saturday, February 4th was a national day of action against agitation for war with Iran. With my camera charged up, I made my first stop on the mild winter day the Barack Obama campaign office in Nashua, which had an opening celebration at 10:00am. I showed up to meet Occupy NH participants who had brought literature to distribute. I went about my usual chalking, focusing on messages that I hoped would make supporters of the president question their commitment.

Some suits emerged from the building, looked around, and went back inside. As I was keeping the chalking away from a portion of pavement under an overhang, and in the public area of the sidewalk, I knew that there could not be a claim that I was chalking any private property. Aside from myself, only one other person chose to participate in the chalking.

Three police cars eventually arrive. An officer politely asks the group to be sure that they do not block the sidewalk, as they had received complaints. He was brief, leaving after having relayed the information.

Up the street, the officer from the lead car was speaking with a man in a red jacket. I filmed from a distance, and noticed when the police began moving away from him. You could hear him yell, “These people have no right! No right to deface public property!”

You can see in the video his profane reaction when I try to converse with him after the police leave. He went on to deny the first amendment freedom of speech, and imply that I was morally transgressing by speaking against “your president” and “your country”. Yet another example of an individual so detached from his fellow man that when he is offended by an action (chalking) he first goes to an agent of aggression, rather than have the courage to politely and respectfully address the issue himself.

Kudos to the Nashua PD for choosing not to interfere when there was clearly no wrongdoing going on.

My next stop of the day was an Antiwar Rally at Veterans Park in Manchester, which began at noon. Coverage of that event coming soon.

As the NH house and senate return to a full schedule for public hearings, I’ve made an effort to maintain camera coverage for certain bills. Last week was a house hearing on HB 1705, which would heavily restrict, but effectively legalize home consumption of cannabis in the state of New Hampshire. The ‘tax and regulate’ bill was complimented with a decriminalization bill. The decrim bill, heard on February 2nd, would have set the penalty for cannabis possession of under an ounce at a $100 fine. The bill was amended to criminalize the third possession, so in a sense, this bill only decriminalizes cannabis possession for one’s first two offenses. The bills are imperfect, as all are, but both represent a very progressive step forward for cannabis policy reform in New Hampshire, a state which is far behind all other New England political subdivisions in this sense.

As is to be expected, those that escalate the drug war, the enforcers who invest their consciences into the fight, will speak at hearings impassioned to continue what they consider to be important work. Occasionally, those who are invested in such work recognize it to be harmful in nature, and separate themselves from the job that they do to speak out against the ill caused by the role that they play. Such rejection of the standard rally cry to continue the war on drugs is voiced by Richard Van Wickler, who in his day job is the administrator of the Cheshire county jail. He comes to the hearing acknowledging that he is not representing the role he plays at his job, and that he has taken a vacation day to express his personal feelings before decision makers in Concord. Richard is one of the few speakers on behalf of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition who is currently employed in the criminal justice industry, showing how unpopular holding such a viewpoint is while actively working in the field. Below is his testimony favoring the legalization legislation, as filmed by Biker Bill.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vKVpBk9OHbM

Prohibition’s latest warriors

At the restricted-legalization hearing on HB 1705, the chief of police of Franklin appeared before the committee in full uniform representing the NH Chiefs of Police Association, who always send a representative to speak against any drug policy reform. In the past, an Enfield police chief was the usual spokesman. Since appearing on an episode of NH Outlook in which he was schooled with information on medicinal cannabis, that chief has not appeared at committee hearings. At the decrim hearing, HB 1526, the room appeared populated with the normal handful of lobbyists and concerned citizens. But in glancing at the blue sheet, a form which expresses generic support or opposition for those present, there was a significant population of names in opposition who were not in the room. Alongside their names was listed the Franklin Youth Initiative, and all had marked themselves as in opposition to the bill.

After the representatives and a few government officials spoke both for and against the bill, the call was made for the next speaker by the committee chair. The Franklin Youth Initiative was summoned. The crew of five high school students and a health teacher from Franklin High School proceeded in and stood at the table for testimony. The teacher and one student had prepared statements, and all responded to some questions by legislators.

Arguing in favor of strict cannabis enforcement, FYI didn’t try to acknowledge the failures of prohibition in preventing drug use. Their plea focused on the aura of fear associated with the black market and the importance of retaining that aura of criminality. The harsh punishment they consider a necessity in exchange for a perceived deterrent effect that strict laws may have. They submitted written testimony to the committee on the dangers of cannabis use. The written testimony consisted of an inconclusive study published by the Psychiatric Times investigating a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia.

Though the committee asked them some wise questions, I wanted to learn more about the motivations of the Franklin Youth Initiative. After they had finished speaking, they left the hearing and went out into the often busy hall. Instead of a camera, in my hand was a notepad, and I recorded responses from the group. I began by confirming that they opposed the decriminalization of all drugs, which they affirmed, except alcohol. Though the group discouraged the use of alcohol, none of them supported the prohibition of the drug. When I asked if they could account for the violent crime associated with prohibited substances and what becomes of that crime when the substance is legalized, I got the impression that this may be the first time many of the students were hearing factual points in favor of drug legalization and against prohibition policy.

When I inquired into whether they would support the sick having access to cannabis as medicine, they cited synthetic marinol being an ample substitute. I didn’t want to much venture into the realm of educator from interviewer in pointing out that cannabis is often smoked as medicine to stimulate appetite in cancer patients. The pill form marinol is not only less tested than natural cannabis, but it also may not be consumable by those whose problems are digestive in nature. In speaking further on the benefits of medical alternatives to cannabis, one student reported that approved medicines are safer in that the toxic substances in the cannabis are removed. No scientific research has uncovered any substances within cannabis that could be classified as toxic, as it is one of the safest consumable substances known to man, being less toxic than many natural foods which would never be considered dangerous.

Early in the video, the health teacher mentions that “the FYI is working with the Franklin mayor’s drug task force”. It is likely the trip was organized by the bureaucratic opponents of cannabis reform, using the participation of young people to draw attention to the bill. Their testimony seemed as though it would have been more appropriate at the legalization hearing, though strategically they may have chosen to appear at the decrim hearing because the less extensive measure is more likely to pass.

I hope that the young people of the Franklin Youth Initiative keep an open mind to what it is that they are encouraging by advocating non-violent actions be treated as criminal, and responded to violently. See the footage of their appearance before the house criminal justice committee embedded below.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4e03RdONBno

Feb 8 2012: The Free Concord video of the Franklin Youth Initiative’s testimony was featured in this week’s episode of Free Keene TV, a local access news show in Cheshire county.

Photo journalism activist Carlos Miller was arrested Tuesday evening while he was attempting to cover the police’s eviction of Occupy Miami. Carlos is no stranger to arrest for photography. He has beaten two separate prior charges for photographing police. This most recent arrest sounds very similar to what occurred during the Chalking 8 incident in Manchester, in which the police criminalize a group and then arrest all those they associate with the group. In my case, though it came up at one point, I did not need to address whether I was acting as press at the time of my arrest to demonstrate that the seizure was unfounded. In this case, protesters were ordered away from an area where press were allowed to remained. Carlos was swept up after the protesters had already been cleared despite identifying himself as press when addressed and being near other reporters.

Photo: Carlos Miller

The police have deleted the footage he had taken in the moments leading up to his arrest. Another journalist is believed to have captured footage of the arrest, which has yet to be released. There is a reason that the United States has recently been downgraded to 47th place on the global Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

You can read the first hand account of the arrest at the Photography Is Not A Crime blog. I especially appreciate Carlos’ activism and reporting, as he was the first of many bloggers to feature coverage of my Lemonade Liberation outreach last August.

Carlos Miller will be speaking in Nashua, New Hampshire on Saturday, February 25 at this year’s Liberty Forum.

Feb 4 2012: Some of the footage that was deleted by police has been recovered, and the slightly choppy video is embedded below. In a blog published today, it is noted that data recovery services will be used to restore more of the footage.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Kqta4sTkhn0