Mass Marijuana Protest in Keene, NH

[FSP-Rebel]

Even though I've been saying that this isn't my cup o tea, I think I may actually show up at one of these events just to see what it's like in person. Plus, I know pretty much everyone in attendance.

 

[mport1]

Now in Manchester too: http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=c4c32952-85a4-4317-8f1e-43de0715fbc0

Some of those comments by the readers are just terrible. We have a ways to go to overcome government propaganda and get these people on the side of liberty.

 

[Keith and stuff]

On October 7th there were around 40 people at the Keene Rally. No cops or reporters showed up.

On October 8th, there were around 40 people at the Keene Rally. A showed up at 4:16, walked around the park, and was gone by 4:18. I think he may have been looking for someone on the run, I cannot say more on that. NPR was at the Rally doing a follow up to their previous press coverage. Part of the park turned into a skate park for about 30 minutes even though skating in this park is illegal. Precious metals and communication radios were sold at the Rally sold. Oh, and the weather was wicked awesome.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Now in Manchester too: http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=c4c32952-85a4-4317-8f1e-43de0715fbc0

Well, not even all freedom activists in NH support these Rallies. Matt Simon of NH Common Sense wrote an op-ed against the Rallies.

I'm fine with people having differing opinions. I'm still working hard with Matt to get medical marijuana legalized in NH this year.

http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=84b83576-b59c-41aa-b960-e2273a0ce21e

As the Union Leader has reported, activists in Keene have been engaging in daily public "smoke-outs" to protest marijuana laws. Encouraged by a few activists who do not believe in changing bad laws through the legislative process, these individuals have been gathering on Keene's Main Street to smoke marijuana in defiance of state law.

If some of these people are truly interested in reforming marijuana laws, and not just acting out for the sake of acting out, perhaps they should first consider a lesson from history.

For the rest of the article, follow the above link.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Here is a story from the Keene State College paper about the Rallies in Keene. I'm not sure when the reporter wrote the story.

http://www.keeneequinox.com/news/protesters-light-up-in-keene-1.1945444

There is the first part of the article:

At 4:19 p.m. a one minute contdown excites a crowd in Central Square at Keene. A man in a shirt reading “4:20 everyday at 4:20” paraphrases Thomas Jefferson and yells, “I hope for the day when people don't fear their government, but the government fears it's people.”
As 4:20 p.m. arrives, cars passing by honk and yell out their support.

This has been the typical scene at Central Square for the last two weeks, as protestors have shown up in large numbers to protest the country’s drug laws by smoking marijuana in public.
Keene residents Noah Wood and Rich Paul started the movement after the TEA party in Central Square two weeks ago.

 

[Keith and stuff]

I didn't go to a Marijuana Rally on 10-9 so I don't have a report for that day.

On 10-10 (today) I was in Manchester so I attended the Manchester Rally. There were only 21 people at the Rally and another 7 were in the area. The 7 people weren't part of the Rally but did spend a few minutes talking to those at the Rally. 1 person had a very expensive camera, she may have been with the press.

Of the 21 people, only 3 were part of the Free State Project. The guy the started the Rallies in Manchester, a Mormon FSPer that doesn't drink or smoke, and myself.

Most of the NH liberty activists that normally attend the Manchester Rally were busy at the We The People event. You see, today was national We the People Congressional Vote Day. The NH voting happened at the Taproom, a bar owned by a Free Stater. Three delegates from NH were selected. The highest vote getter was a famous Free Stater. The 2nd highest vote getter was a friend of the Free State.

A fantastic day. Good weather too!

 

[Expatriate]

Meanwhile, some residents have criticized city police for being too lenient with the protesters.

One Sentinel reader called for using tear gas, riot batons and Tasers on the protesters.

Another reader said the protesters make her uncomfortable about bringing her children into downtown.

“To the KPD: My prediction is that if you allow this to continue, someone is going to get hurt,” she wrote. “Either from a fed-up citizen or from the junkies.”

 

[Keith and stuff]

Sorry, I was doing activism around the Northeast for awhile and didn't attend any of the 420 Rallies in Keene. I have reports on the last 4 days, though

Saturday
Maybe 500 people showed up. So many people showed up because this was Pumpkin Fest day, the busiest day of the year in Keene. Rich Paul spoke on a bull horn for several minutes (he usually speaks on a bull horn for under a minute). Some in the crowd cheered during parts of his speech. He lite up and was arrested. The crowd booed. A couple other folks were arrested for smoking and the crowd booed again. Ian Freeman of Free Talk Live started saying things on a bull horn and some Free Keene flyers were passed out.

You can learn much more about this at http://www.freekeene.com/ and there is some MSM coverage via the main paper in NH, although there are several factual errors in the article, http://unionleader.com/article.aspx...rticleId=67845e17-bc10-41de-8773-acb1dcef7e35

Sunday
It was unusually cold this day and their was very light rain at times. Maybe 40 folks. Unlike most days, the vast majority of the folks were serious activists. Most of them were in town for the Free Keene Fest ( http://www.freekeenefest.com ) which happened earlier in the day. A punk/cover band from Dover, NH played for a round an hour. They were quite good and covered punk and metal songs with ease.

Monday
Around 30 people.

Tuesday
About 35 people, nothing special except cops ignoring the use of various drugs over over an hour at the center of Keene.

 

[mport1]

Thanks for all the updates! Wish I was there now.

 

[dr. hfn]

Im moving to NH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! when i'm done with college...

 

[tremendoustie]

Tuesday
About 35 people, nothing special except cops ignoring the use of various drugs over over an hour at the center of Keene.

Lol, classic . In one month, what politicos have been fighting for for decades. Imagine if this were done nationwide, and on other issues. CivDis FTW!

The underground railroad, Egyptian independence, Indian independence, The crumbling of the Communist government in East Germany and in what's now the Czech Republic, the independence of the Baltic states from the USSR, Women's sufferage, the end of segregation, and more, brought to you by Civil Disobedience -- "it's what you do when you REALLY want to get it done" (tm).

 

[RevolutionSD]

Lol, classic . In one month, what politicos have been fighting for for decades. Imagine if this were done nationwide, and on other issues. CivDis FTW!

The underground railroad, Egyptian independence, Indian independence, The crumbling of the Communist government in East Germany and in what's now the Czech Republic, the independence of the Baltic states from the USSR, Women's sufferage, the end of segregation, and more, brought to you by Civil Disobedience -- "it's what you do when you REALLY want to get it done" (tm).

Exactly, CD all the way!

We need to start doing these MJ CD events in Southern California. Weather is still beautiful in the 80's this week, and we have 16% unemployment or something so we can this done!

 

[FSP-Rebel]

The Manch group wrapped their 420s for the season today. I was at that event yesterday (it's on the main drag in Manch) and I swear we were getting over 20 honks per minute. People were blazin up and the cops just drove by, some of them even waved at us. We even had a local walk by who asked if anything was for sale.. Even though the group had more available, they don't sell to unknowns. Tonight at the weekly Taproom Tuesdays (social in Manch), we had like 80 activists turn out - many because of the 9-12 rally in the back of the pub where Congressional candidate Bob Guida turned up for a campaign rally. I was told this guy was in the vein of RP but sadly that isn't the case. He talked a good game on taxes and health care, but has a hard-on for the military - and it showed.

 

[tremendoustie]

Exactly, CD all the way!

We need to start doing these MJ CD events in Southern California. Weather is still beautiful in the 80's this week, and we have 16% unemployment or something so we can this done!

I don't smoke, but I'll show up and bring signs, just give me the time and place.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Friday October 21
My was working by my friend went. She sold some handmade jewelery. She said turn out was around 25. So it looks like things are slowing down in Keene.

It is expected to rain most of Saturday in Keene so I'm not sure how big the event will be.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Thanks for all the updates! Wish I was there now.

No problem. While I'm not really a big pot smoker or anything, I think these events are interesting and should be known far and wide. Sure, I smoke it rarely like 110,000 or so people in NH but not commonly like another 110,000 people in NH. It's likely that most freedom lovers in the nation would be shocked that something like this can happen without problems in the US.

 

[idirtify]

Even those who don’t smoke it (often) could show up smoking Damiana or some other herb that smells like pot.

 

[Keith and stuff]

idirtify, that is a good idea. Actually, the 2nd person to be arrested was arrested for smoking mint chocolate flavored tobacco. There is plenty of footage of it. Youtube videos and even the one NH TV station covered the event and went to the police station as soon as he was arrested. The the crew got there, they found the guy had already been released and they interviewed him.

Updates:

10-26 Around 25 people

10-27 Around 22 people including a lady that came all the way from Grafton, NH (sometimes referred to as the freest town in the US) which is at least a 90 minute drive. As, the two people the started the Rallies didn't attend. I was told that one of them wanted to focus on the weekends since it was getting colder outside.

 

[Keith and stuff]

Updates:

11-1 Around 40-45 people. It was a weekend and the weather was ok.

11-2 Around 20 people. It was the day before election day so a bunch of political types (including several election city councilors) were holding political signs near the 420 Rallies. It is the best place to hold a sign in town because it's the center of town. The councilors could see the people smoking and smell the pot but none of them complained. I think, deep down, most of them wouldn't even care if it was completely legal. They didn't see to react at all, call the cops or anything.

It is slowly getting colder and now it gets dark earlier because of daylight savings light. I'm not sure if I'll make it out to another of these events this year.

 

[Keith and stuff]

The Rallies in Keene are being called off for the rest of the year. The last one is said to happen on Saturday. See the post about it, http://forum.freekeene.com/index.php?topic=1925.0