Free Russell Rally

[FrankChodorov]

where was the peaceful assembly & protest allowed to occur?

wasn't it also on  a "public right of way"?

there is a difference between a public right of way called a "road" and a public right of way called a "sidewalk".

obviously one is designed for cars and the other pedestrians but the pedestrians who are excercising their individual common right of freedom of speech, assembly and use of the right of way can not infringe in anyone else's use of the right of way for other purposes - that is why they have to constantly keep moving and not block anyone.

Folks stood on a grassy spot where the local sheriff said he was ok with it.

Then, leaving the signs behind, some of said group went for a walk down a road that any member of the public may drive. No one blocked anyones access. The confusion was that the local authority, the new shift perhaps, got tense and declared it to be an unlawful assembly. I attempted to calm him down and we reversed our direction.

it seems to me that moving from a larger group carrying protest signs and visibly and verbally excercising their freedom of speech rights in a designated area to using the road as a smaller, unorganized group not protesting appears to the officer as an unauthorized use of the road as a pedestrian right of way.

a protest doesn't have to have signs and speech - please note Lauren's arrest where she didn't say anything...

[tracysaboe]

where was the peaceful assembly & protest allowed to occur?

wasn't it also on  a "public right of way"?

there is a difference between a public right of way called a "road" and a public right of way called a "sidewalk".

obviously one is designed for cars and the other pedestrians but the pedestrians who are excercising their individual common right of freedom of speech, assembly and use of the right of way can not infringe in anyone else's use of the right of way for other purposes - that is why they have to constantly keep moving and not block anyone.

Man do you play any other tunes or what? Take your cut and paste comments to somewhere that folks are eager to discuss your beliefs.
Never thought I'd want Fisher back as our pet troll... he was less annoying.

Folks stood on a grassy spot where the local sheriff said he was ok with it.

Then, leaving the signs behind, some of said group went for a walk down a road that any member of the public may drive. No one blocked anyones access. The confusion was that the local authority, the new shift perhaps, got tense and declared it to be an unlawful assembly. I attempted to calm him down and we reversed our direction.

We all miss Fischer.    I hated his guts.   <I have to say that. If I actually liked him he wouldn't come back.>

Tracy

[Recumbent ReCycler]

where was the peaceful assembly & protest allowed to occur?

wasn't it also on  a "public right of way"?

there is a difference between a public right of way called a "road" and a public right of way called a "sidewalk".

obviously one is designed for cars and the other pedestrians but the pedestrians who are excercising their individual common right of freedom of speech, assembly and use of the right of way can not infringe in anyone else's use of the right of way for other purposes - that is why they have to constantly keep moving and not block anyone.

Folks stood on a grassy spot where the local sheriff said he was ok with it.

Then, leaving the signs behind, some of said group went for a walk down a road that any member of the public may drive. No one blocked anyones access. The confusion was that the local authority, the new shift perhaps, got tense and declared it to be an unlawful assembly. I attempted to calm him down and we reversed our direction.

it seems to me that moving from a larger group carrying protest signs and visibly and verbally excercising their freedom of speech rights in a designated area to using the road as a smaller, unorganized group not protesting appears to the officer as an unauthorized use of the road as a pedestrian right of way.

a protest doesn't have to have signs and speech - please note Lauren's arrest where she didn't say anything...

The officers who repelled the free walkers were not involved in discussions before and during the protest.  We were not told that we had to stay on the grass.  The sheriff and his (very nice) sergeant recommended the sidewalk right next to the main entrance to the jail and the large grassy area right next to the only roads that go past the jail.  The only orders we were given were to not interfere with traffic, not enter the building, not bring pitchforks near the entrance to the building, and to not initiate aggression toward anyone.  The sergeant said that he thought it would be inadvisable to protest behind the building, and used reason to deter us from holding the protest back there rather than threats or orders.  The deputies who were there after the protest were obviously ignorant of the discussion I had with the sheriff and sergeant.  While the sheriff and sergeant were there, we had virtually unrestricted reign of the grounds, but because of the nice location that the sergeant had recommended, we were content to stay primarily in the large grassy area.  During the protest some people wandered to the entrance and around the building unmolested.  IIRC, Roger was behind the building taking pictures when a motorcycle cop pulled up and made friendly small talk.  I'm pretty sure the cops who were rude to the walkers were simply ignorant about the law and the consensus the sheriff, his sergeant, and I had come to.  I suppose if the entire walking group had walked only on the grass, and not on the road, they might have been left alone, but that is only speculation.  There are ignorant cops all over the place (like the 3 stooges), but fortunately there are some wise and friendly ones also (like sheriff Wayne Estes and Sergeant Williams).

[Dreepa]

- that is why they have to constantly keep moving and not block anyone.

I find that answer bullshit.  If someone was walking people would get out of the way.  Often there is no one walking on these sidewalks. (As in the case at the courthouse.... no one was around at all)

[Pat K]

I have to put my NYer 2 cents in here.

Sometimes when I am in NH, I think I'M on another planet. I admit I was a little worried going to the rally at the jail, I could see alot of ways for things to go wrong.

When we got there I was in constant shock, first the jail folks came over and were very nice, saying we could protest up by the jail or down by the road or were ever since it was Sat. and not alot of folks around we should feel free to use the parking lot. If we were going to bring out pitch forks they would really like us to not get to close to the building.

I was astonished at thier politeness and the fact that the pitchforks only would draw a please not to close to the building comment.

No way in hell would this happen were I live. A pitch fork would get you  slammed to the ground, with cops all over you.


One of our party was open carrying, one jail folk did not like this, he probably felt uneasy since they coulden't carry but it was left up to the Sheriff to decide. The Sheriff said while county employees can not carry on county property, citizenry can! I almost fell over. You don't carry open in your own yard were I live. ( I really got to get out of here)

Every law enforcement person I saw that day said hello an smiled, they were all professional.

Now I was not involved with the walk around the building, It was hot and there was no beer were they were walking so I held the fort with Jim.

I guess their are some uptight folk every were but all in all it was a good experiance.

[FrankChodorov]

- that is why they have to constantly keep moving and not block anyone.

I find that answer bullshit.  If someone was walking people would get out of the way.  Often there is no one walking on these sidewalks. (As in the case at the courthouse.... no one was around at all)

did you see any of the union protestors (masons) at Concord Hospital about 3 weeks ago with the huge inflatable rat protesting healh care policy? (they do this about every 6 months or so)

they had to walk on the grass between the two entrences to the hospital (they couldn't stand still)...have you ever seen anyone walking down Pleasant St. on the grass across the street from the paved cement sidewalks?

this is very standard procedure for protests...

[KBCraig]

Now I was not involved with the walk around the building, It was hot and there was no beer were they were walking so I held the fort with Jim.

A man after my own priorities!

I guess their are some uptight folk every were but all in all it was a good experiance.

Every LE agency has their Barney Fifes. It seems to me that NH has fewer of them, and they tend to be imports.

Kevin

[FrankChodorov]

The sheriff and his (very nice) sergeant recommended the sidewalk right next to the main entrance to the jail and the large grassy area right next to the only roads that go past the jail.  The only orders we were given were to not interfere with traffic, not enter the building, not bring pitchforks near the entrance to the building, and to not initiate aggression toward anyone.

were you told that you had to keep moving on the sidewalk?
how about the grassy area?

I'm pretty sure the cops who were rude to the walkers were simply ignorant about the law and the consensus the sheriff, his sergeant, and I had come to.  I suppose if the entire walking group had walked only on the grass, and not on the road, they might have been left alone, but that is only speculation.

don't you think the officers who confronted the walkers on the road after the protest knew that you couldn't protest in the road as it may interfere with traffic regardless of whether they were carrying signs and excercising their freedom of speech rights?

[Kat Kanning]

Well that fat guy in the blue shirt is me. 

I was figuring that was Lloyd Danforth. Thanks for the correction.

You should have kown it was not Lloyd. I was smiling.

LOL!  Missed this earlier.

[Kat Kanning]

Pastor Garrett Lear was going to try and visit Russell today.  I hope he makes it!

[Recumbent ReCycler]

The sheriff and his (very nice) sergeant recommended the sidewalk right next to the main entrance to the jail and the large grassy area right next to the only roads that go past the jail.  The only orders we were given were to not interfere with traffic, not enter the building, not bring pitchforks near the entrance to the building, and to not initiate aggression toward anyone.

were you told that you had to keep moving on the sidewalk?    NO
how about the grassy area?    NO

I'm pretty sure the cops who were rude to the walkers were simply ignorant about the law and the consensus the sheriff, his sergeant, and I had come to.  I suppose if the entire walking group had walked only on the grass, and not on the road, they might have been left alone, but that is only speculation.

don't you think the officers who confronted the walkers on the road after the protest knew that you couldn't protest in the road as it may interfere with traffic regardless of whether they were carrying signs and excercising their freedom of speech rights?

There was no traffic.  The road just went around the buildings there and to a dead end road that went to a public walking path.  The humane society has a facility back there, but were closed when the walk was attempted, and there is a day care center further around the loop, but with it being Saturday, I don't think it was open.  Other than myself and the cops, I think there were only about 5 vehicles that went down that road during the 2 1/2 hours that I was there.  Also, I see people walking and/or running along public roads pretty much every day, and I don't see cops stopping them.  There was no sidewalk on the road that went behind the jail.  Do you think that if someone is protesting for a while, they are still protesting by default after they put their signs down for the rest of the day and start to walk off?  That is a silly argument that is devoid of common sense.  Walking along the road is not illegal (at least not in NH) except for on the turnpikes.  Having a parade that obstructs traffic requires a permit, but a group of people walking along the side of the road without costumes or signs is not a parade.

[cathleeninnh]

Remember the vet arrested while having coffee at a vet office or hospital while wearing the antiwar t-shirt? He was arrested because he had been outside at the official protest and had put his sign down and gone in the facility.

It is not what you do, it is who you are.

Cathleen

[mraaron]

    I remember that story.  It was a mess.  And now that we've fed the trolls lets get back on task, about why we are here.  Sounds like Russell is eating again, and no one was arrested Saturday.   I plan on writing Russell as much as I can, and if everyone here sends just one postcard per week, it should help.    Now I'll try to redouble my efforts. 
Thanks again for the help, DOL!

[Tom Sawyer]

You da man Aaron.

It was nice to hang out with you.

[draloo]

Remember the vet arrested while having coffee at a vet office or hospital while wearing the antiwar t-shirt? He was arrested because he had been outside at the official protest and had put his sign down and gone in the facility.

It is not what you do, it is who you are.

Cathleen

That guy was Mike Ferner  http://www.mikeferner.org/  currently under house arrest for spray painting "Troops Out Now" on a highway overpass. The coffee story is on his site and called "Has this Country gone completly insane?"