Dover Man Arrested While Protesting Police Corruption

[smiley]

SEAL PAC Advocate Arrested in Downtown Dover

David Montenegro, founder of the Seacoast Liberty Police Anti-Corruption Campaign (abbreviated "SEAL PAC") http://tinyurl.com/sealpac, got arrested today while hosting an information table in downtown Dover. This event was intended to raise awareness about a growing problem in the city of Dover: civil rights violations committed by the city's police department. It may come as no surprise, then, that the police found a reason to arrest Mr. Montenegro.

Mr. Montenegro had applied for, and received, a permit from the city to hold the event on November 29, 2008, from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., with November 30, 2008 as a designated rain date. Mr. Montenegro was charged with disorderly conduct and released on $1,500.00 personal recognizance bail.

SEAL PAC was formed in July of 2008 to raise public awareness about police corruption and work to eliminate abuses of police power. Over the past nine months Mr. Montenegro, has collected a number of testimonials from people claiming to have su?ered misconduct by members of the Dover police department. More information about SEAL PAC can be found on the organization's website: http://tinyurl.com/sealpac. (Also online at http://peapod.podzone.net:1234/hive/sealpac/.)

[Kat Kanning]

Interesting.  Anyone know the guy?

[dalebert]

We should support him. Protests perhaps?

[smiley]

We should support him. Protests perhaps?

Dover is going to be having its annual Christmas Parade tomorrow, in the same area as this took place.  It is really tempting to have someone hold the other end of the sign and just jump in the Christmas parade!

The sign, reading "STOP POLICE CORRUPTION" in big, red letters:

(bigger version: http://peapod.podzone.net:1234/hive/sealpac/pics/20081017/SIGN%20FROM%20SIDEWALK.JPG)

Anyone have any santa hats? 

[AntonLee]

nothing new, yet still sad.  I had a friend who was a part owner of Smoke Signals in Dover, and got plenty of flack from the local pigs.  They ended up shutting him down because supposedly someone walked in with weed (a customer) . . . they handcuffed the guy, put him on his knees, and tossed his kitty outside so he could watch it run away.

pigs, disgusting pigs, nothing more.

[Fluff and Stuff]

Interesting.  Anyone know the guy?

Sure, he sometimes goes to the Wednesday meet-up.  

Smiley, why were you arrested?

[J’raxis 270145]

Asking the thugs for a "permit" probably only helped them be ready to disrupt your protest.

[Sam A. Robrin]

It might be effective to wear masks or bags over the head, to emphasize the danger (and near inevitability) of police reprisal in such exercises of the First Amendment.

[smiley]

Asking the thugs for a "permit" probably only helped them be ready to disrupt your protest.

I knew, if I was going to publically be critical of the police, I had to do everything by the letter of the law.  If the police found any little rule or regulation that I voilated - no matter how small - they'd be able to use that against me.  After all, how could I justify holding police accountable to the rule of law if I didn't stick to the letter of the law, myself?

As it happens, there's a NH state law which requires people gathering on land abutting public ways to obtain a permit from the town or city in which that way is located.  So, that's exactly what I did.  I have applied for and received permits for all of SEAL PAC's public gatherings.

Smiley, why were you arrested?

The police called my display "disorderly conduct", which is what they ostensibly arrested me for.  I think it's pretty clear, though, that their intent was to quelch the message I was getting across.

The most ironic part of this arrest, though, is that the Dover police department itself approved the permit.  It was approved, in fact, by both the Dover police and the Dover city council.

This isn't the first time I've set up in that area, either.  It was the third.  Why now, after two weeks of being in the same spot, did they decide to arrest me?  Police have visited the display every week I've had it out there.

Maybe it's because they realize I'm not just going to go away...

[J’raxis 270145]

Asking the thugs for a "permit" probably only helped them be ready to disrupt your protest.

I knew, if I was going to publically be critical of the police, I had to do everything by the letter of the law.  If the police found any little rule or regulation that I voilated - no matter how small - they'd be able to use that against me.  After all, how could I justify holding police accountable to the rule of law if I didn't stick to the letter of the law, myself?

True—this is why it makes more sense to make moral, not legal, arguments, about governmental wrongdoing. I'll make legal arguments for strategic reasons, sometimes, but that's about it.

Of course, the hypocrisy argument can be turned around: Since they demand everyone follow the law, why aren't they? (Your own illegal conduct is irrelevant.)

[Jason]

LTE I wrote got in Foster's Daily Democrat. If any one is interested:
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081205/GJOPINION_01/712049731/-1/FOSOPINION

Jason Howard

[error]

Nice one!

[DoverExposure]

The trial for this supposed "Disorderly Conduct" is scheduled for this Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 10:00 A.M. in Dover District Court at 25 Saint Thomas Street, Dover, N.H.

Anyone who wishes to come and watch is welcome to.  I have an overwhelming body of evidence to show that this was a purely political arrest.  Not surprisingly, the prosecutor is doing everything he can to bog down discovery.  I suspect, somewhere deep down inside, he knows this case will show the true color of the Dover police.

It should be interesting...

[Fluff and Stuff]

If anyone wants to drive from the Keene area, I'll throw in $5 for gas to help with the car pool.

[cxxguy]

I'm up to go.