by Pete Eyre | Sep 21, 2014 | Articles, Re-Posts
Last week the write-up CopBlock works to keep police in check, authored by Alexa Ondreicka, went live at The Keene Equinox, which has the tagline, “The voice of Keen State College.” Below are some experts from the piece
Click here to read the full article, which also gives:
- more comments from Ian Freeman about his motivations and actions to help create a peaceful community
- a recount from a student filmed by someone active with Keene Cop Block during his interaction with strangers wearing badges
- comments by Amanda Guthorn, the director of campus safety at Keene State
By: Alexa Ondreicka
For years, videos have been floating around the internet exposing police officers in every way possible.
While there are many different viewpoints surrounding the actions of the police force, students at Keene State College in particular are being thrust into an entirely separate situation with the implementation of CopBlock every Friday and Saturday night.
CopBlock, according to member Ian Freeman, is a “decentralized organization—meaning nobody’s in charge of anybody else—that exists worldwide.”
Freeman noted that holding police accountable for their actions is their main focus, hoping to expose police officers who target people for “victimless crimes,” such as open container violations or possession of marijuana.
CopBlockers expose these police officers by video-taping their interactions with the people they are targeting and then placing the videos online for the public to see.
Graphic by Sean Crater, webmaster, Keene Equinox
“A primary sort of weapon we use against the police is the video camera,” Freeman explained, “Police accountability is the focus of CopBlock, and the best way to hold them accountable, we’ve found, is through the public’s eye.”
Freeman said, “A CopBlocker can’t be there every time the police are behaving badly. It’s your responsibility to protect yourself and the best thing you can do is record your interaction. I’ve seen cameras change how a police-encounter goes more times than I can count. And usually changes it for the better.”
He continued, “That’s all it takes—to have a concern for the people around you. And trying to create an environment where the police behave better, hopefully, and that fewer people get hurt, and fewer peaceful people will get arrested.”
RELATED CONTENT
- Film The Police – page with tactics, maps, links to smartphone apps, and more
by Pete Eyre | May 9, 2014 | Re-Posts, Videos
The property stolen by the organized gang from a business in downtown Keene in broad daylight on Wednesday, May 7th, 2014, totaled into the tens of thousands of federal reserve notes. And though a couple of the thieves tried to hide their identity with masks, they seemed pretty smug – one even donned a shirt emblazoned with the message “Believe in Heroes.”
Many inhabitants, patrons of the business, and others concerned about the brazen violation of rights, were present and let the criminals know of their disapproval.
This is ultimately about ideas – the individuals captured on film wearing badges of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Keene Police Department outwardly act as if they alone are not culpable for their actions. That they’re “just doing their job.”
That seems more like a defensive mechanism to prevent themselves from actually having a conversation and thinking about the implications of their own involvement. Not just those harmed at that moment – in this case the business owner and employees and those who engaged in consensual interactions, but themselves, as acting to advance inherently conflicting ideas (that justice can come from coercion) will only compound internal contradictions.
This video was posted to YouTube.com/FreeKeene and embedded on a post at FreeKeene.com by Ian Freeman, co-host of Free Talk Live
Fortunately, the draconian sweep didn’t invoke fear and paralysis into the owner of Phat Stuff, who has since noted “we are going to use this tragedy as motivation to rebuild…bigger and better than it already was”.
by Pete Eyre | Aug 8, 2013 | Videos
On August 6th police departments across the states held “national night out” to try to better community relations.
I stopped by the Keene police department. Present was the BEARCAT – which was brought to town last year despite the overwhelming pushback from townsfolks who said “Thanks but no tanks!”
Right now, just an hour or so to the north, so-claimed “public officials” in Concord are attempting to do the same.
But hey – at least some folks at the LENCO plant down in Pitsfield, MA have jobs right?
They’re staying busy cranking out these vehicles. Thanks to federal money from the misnamed Department of Homeland Security – BEARCATS are now in 300 towns.
A DHS grant – which, to be clear, is coin stolen from taxpayers – also provided a mobile command center to the Cheshire County sheriffs – the outfit now headed by former Keene police employee Eli Rivera.
I was hopeful that I could finally have a conversation with someone who has thus far, played hard to get since my time in Keene.
Despite a number of attempts to initiate a convo, or even just get a reciprocal “hello” or “good afternoon” Ken Meola has steadfastly refused to engage. Perhaps today, in public, things would be different.
(more…)
by Pete Eyre | Aug 7, 2013 | Articles, Videos
UPDATE
Jan. 9, 2014: http://www.copblock.org/44236/ransom-levied-then-rescinded/
_________________
Edward Burke says that I owe the “City of Keene” 15FNRs or else.
This, despite the fact that no victim could be pointed to by Keene police employee Lesley Collier, who back in March left a ransom note on my Tahoe.
Nor could Collier point to any property damage that I had caused or even a single complainant.
To be clear, the ransom Burke says I owe is demanded simply because I disobeyed a decree that I never signed, which was written by some strangers I never met.
(more…)
by Pete Eyre | Jul 15, 2013 | Articles, Updates, Videos
.
Robin Hood hearing
August 12th in the AM (exact time to be added here)
Keene “Superior” Court
12 Court Street
Keene, NH 03431
(more…)
