Nashua, NH – After witnessing undercover law enforcers DiFava and MacIsaac kidnap three 420 celebrants, as reported on previously, Shire activists travelled to the Nashua Police Department to get some answers.
It was there that we met Louis’s mom, Denise, who didn’t hold back her opinion when talking about the Nashua Police Department and their treatment of her son. Earlier in the day, after 4:20PM, Louis was singled out and kidnapped by Nashua Law Enforcement. Questions remain why out of over 100 mostly caucasian celebrants, undercover law enforcers DiFava and MacIsaac targeted one of the few black men in attendance. Actions like this help perpetuate the belief that the war on drugs is racist.
This sparked heroic resistance by several activists including David Krouse and Catherine Bleish who were also arrested that day. David blocked the car the undercover law enforcers were attempting to use to transport their victim, Louis, while Catherine stood firm attempting to keep the agressive Nashua men accountable with her video camera.
Weeks later there were more arrests made of Mike Tiner, Jim and Lauren Canario. In the case of “Big” Mike, several Manchester Law Enforcers drew their guns and entered a normally peaceful home.
Now is a good time to remind everyone that all of this was sparked by the kidnapping of a young black man who was simply enjoying a marijuana cigarette with over 100 liberty activists on a beautiful day. No one was harmed until undercover law enforcers DiFava and MacIsaac singled out Louis and assumed, incorrectly, that Shire activists would allow such a blatant act of agression stand against a person acting peacefully.
Instead, as you can see in these videos, Shire activists boldly travelled to where their allies were held and Shire Independent Media, including Talley.TV, covered it. Many of these activists brought their signs, marijuana, and desire for justice to continue the 420 celebration in and around the headquarters of the Nashua Police Department.
Joining them was Richard Onley who wasn’t at the earlier celebration. After hearing about the aggression by the Nashua Police Department he left the Free State Project’s Liberty Forum with fresh photocopies of a version of “Someday, Someday Soon” that he modified for the Shire. They were passed out among the activists in the lobby of Nashua PD and the next episode of Talley.TV will feature this performance.
Music: “Sister Surround” performed by The Soundtrack of our Lives.
NASHUA, NH - With yesterday’s release of video from Free Keene and Talley.TV, edited by Ian Freeman, I thought that now would be a good time to publish the raw footage that I took on May 21st, 2010 at Library Hill in Nashua. Plus the ongoing crackdown against those, like Sovereign Curtis, who are peacefully speaking out against Nashua’s aggressive anti-cannabis actions. It’s been over a year since the events in Nashua so Ian and I had plenty of questions for the undercover law enforcement officers that kidnapped a peaceful 420 celebrant.
Undercover law enforcers DiFava and MacIsaac had to appear in court to testify against Mike Tiner for “disorderly conduct” which you can judge for yourself in the video above (Tiner can be seen 7 minutes in). The trial’s judge, Bamberger refused to rule on motions allowing cameras to record the trial. I have the video and this will be a future episode of Talley.TV.
Speculation: Bamberger didn’t want the undercover law enforcers featured in this video to be YouTube stars because their job relies on them blending in with the general public so that they can arrest people when they do one of the numerous acts banned by various governments. What’s not speculation is that Judge Bamberger, like law enforcers DiFava and MacIsaac, work for the government. No wonder Tiner didn’t stand a chance and was found guilty.
It is very likely that individuals employed by the Nashua Police Department reviewed video I captured as well as the many videos taken by Shire Independent Media to identify people who they believe interfered with their kidnapping. The Nasua Telegraph reported a month after the police aggression:
Nashua police used YouTube and help from other area police departments to arrest two more people involved in a large protest of marijuana laws on Library Hill last month.
As an eye witness to the events on Library Hill and would like to go on the record that DiFava and MacIsaac are the real criminals for kidnapping a young man who, along with many others, was celebrating 4:20 on a beautiful day. In order to enforce the law, they broke the peace and had no business putting peaceful people in chains that day. Justice was not served but that isn’t what matters to State employees as they wage their war on drugs, which is of course a war against people. Many of whom are peaceful.
A year+ ago I reported on the events of the day at Fr33 Agents in addition to publishing the raw video:
Today I witnessed a 4:20 Celebration for the first time up close, although I have seen them many times on YouTube. Like many of the 4:20 celebrants, I am attending the 2010 Liberty Forum in Nashua, New Hampshire. Earlier today at 4:20 PM a lot of fans of freedom gathered at a park in Nashua, NH. Some of them smoked marijuana, a plant has been deemed “illegal” in the United States as part of a larger “War on Drugs.” Others just smoked cigarettes or enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in New Hampshire.
That is until two undercover cops put a pair of handcuffs on a local Nashua resident, Lewis. These two large white men claimed to be from the Nashua Police Department despite one of them wearing a Boston Red Socks Jersey. Lewis, a young black man, was placed in their police car to the shock of the other peaceful participants, many of them wearing balloon hats and holding signs. Cameras immediately turned their attention to the crimes against this young man by these alleged Nashua Police Department employees.
Like many, David Krause didn’t like what these two men were doing. That’s when he took action. David sat down in front of the police car. When they tried to remove him he went limp. That’s when these two men illustrated the true nature of government by using force against David. They dragged him away from the group and were threatening him with mace. Catherine Bleish was soon arrested for being on the street advocating the release of Lewis and David.
I’m not sure if he was attempting to physically take it from her but there was definitely physical contact and her arm was red. She yelled out “You’re hurting me.” She was able to pass off her camera to someone else before they put her in the car.
She yelled out “You’re hurting me” as a German Shepard barked at the participants of the once peaceful event. At this point some estimate a government response of 15 Nashua Police Officers.
At one point one of the police officers frantically yelled out “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!” in reference to one individual, like many, open-carrying. There were several folks carrying and it is legal in the state of New Hampshire. The only people harming others were wearing badges given to them by the government of Nashua, New Hampshire.
The police left the scene and the one time 4:20 celebrants headed to their vehicles to drive to the Nashua, New Hampshire Police Department Headquarters where we were told that their friends were being held.
To be continued.
Music: “Sister Surround” performed by The Soundtrack of our Lives.
by Agent fr33 on February 24, 2011 in Misc | Comments are closed
Video from Free Keene’s Ian Freeman earlier today at Nashua District Court. Ian rolled in after “Big” Mike Tiner’s trial had started so Kevin Freeheart told him that the judge had refused to even rule on our motions to record court proceedings. This video offers a good perspective on the absurd attempt to stop today’s trial from being transparent to the public. The State actually paid these men to stand in front of video cameras at the command of a judge. I’m not making this up.
by Agent fr33 on February 24, 2011 in Misc | Comments are closed
Lots of Shire Independent Media videographers committed peaceful acts of civil disobedience today at the State vs. Mike Tiner trial at the Nashua District Courthouse. At least three individuals, including Talley.TV, filed standard motions to record yet the judge began Tiner’s trial by telling those attending that he would not rule on any motions until recess. It turned out that there was no break and the judge had no intention to allow cameras in his courtroom. We filmed anyway.
Cameras were ordered to be shut off and disassembled by the judge which turned the simple act of videography into a violation of a court order. This district court judge was clearly in violation of a Supreme Court decision that ruled in favor of the media. Writing for the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Justice Joseph P. Nadeau said that judges should limit camera coverage only if there is “substantial likelihood of harm to any person or other harmful consequences” and “only when no other practical alternative is available.”
I’ve filmed in the courtrooms of three other districts and this action was unprecedented.
[Expect more coverage on this and the State vs Tiner trial. I’m currently at the Apple Store in Nashua using a MacBook Pro on display while I wait for a Genius Bar employee to tell me if mine can be fixed.]
As Brian Travis mentioned, the CD Evolution Jailbreak Fundraiser at the Porcupine Freedom Festival was a huge success. We raised over $1,000 that will go to support the good people who break bad laws.
I’d like to thank the many people who made it happen starting with the Fabulous Michelle Seven. M7 and her kids, Aziza, Omar and Faisel as well as Robin and Tommy Mozingo worked hard to erect the jail, provide refreshments for the prisoners and much much more. Michelle came up with the idea for a jailbreak fundraiser which drew a big crowd and garnered a lot of supporters from PorcFest attendees. She also recruited the following donors who contributed goods and services to the CD Evolution raffle:
Chartarum’s Melissa Shaw donated a hand-knit black and gold scaft
Hunter donated 10% of profits from the sales of bags of ice, bundles of wood and pre-ordered group photos.
Jason Osborne of Sakal Cai who drove the party wagon to the jail and exchanged beer for donations.
Sam Dodson donated three ounces of silver
Brian Travis donated a custom Manchester Brewing Hawaiian-style shirt
Please consider trading with these wonderful supporters of CD Evolution.
We are also very thankful to our “prisoners” for being good sports. We asked Sam Dodson, Lauren Canario, Mike Tiner and Sovereign Curtis to join participate because of their all-star status in New Hampshire’s Civil Disobedience movement. Each spoke about their experiences in saying no to the State and inspired the large crowd.
In addition to Sam, I’d like to thank the other board members and Brad Jardis who showed up to speak to the crowd about the importance of supporting CD Evolution.
Finally, thanks to everyone who donated to the Civil Disobedience Evolution Fund at PorcFest. If you weren’t at PorcFest but would like to support the good people who break bad laws, you can still donate online.
Big Mike participated in a “420 Celebration” in Nashua on March 20. The purpose of this rally was to get together with other like-minded people and protest the insane war on drugs. Three non-violent people were arrested at that rally.
Almost a month later, on April 16, state and local police issued warrants for three more arrests stemming from activities at the rally. One of those warrants was for “Big Mike” Tiner, an activist based in Manchester. On April 17, Big Mike was arrested at gunpoint and charged with disorderly conduct at the rally in April.
Mike refused to pay bail and his court date was scheduled for mid-May, which means Mike would be incarcerated until then. He has written to other activists from his jail cell and has created motions to file with the court.
On May 3, Mike asked to be bailed out after spending more than two weeks in jail. He felt that he needed to be out in order to work on his case, and on a possible civil case in relation to the incident.
The Civil Disobedience Evolution Fund agreed to supply the bail money to Mike, but we wanted to test the New Hampshire statute that allows for “Bail Commissioners” to charge a $40 fee to accept the bail.
I paid the bail, and was successful in avoiding the fee after talking with the Bail Commissioner. The videos are on YouTube:
