I sat down with Manchester, NH Police Department employees Robert Cunha and Michael Hurley for an hour last Friday and discussed:

• the ticket levied upon MARV
• the “red tag” tow warnings left on MARV
• 19 questions I submitted about departmental policies and content sought related to the Chalking 8 incident

The end result: the ticket is voided, MARV was removed from the “tow list,” and the 19 questions will be treated as a 91A request (NH’s equivalent to a Freedom of Information Act Request). Due to the amount of information sought Cuhna noted he’d need up-to an additional 30 days (outside the 91A’s normal five-day stipulation).

A few of the more-interesting points of the conversation:

• MARV was likened to a “FREE STATE VEH” – ostensibly by Kenneth Brunini (#32 at Manchester PD)
• neither Cuhna or Hurley know of anyone ever arrested for chalking public property or filming police by Manchester PD
• no policy exists to issue receipts for property taken from those arrested
• free speech as it relates to chalking near police memorial

We’ll see where this goes. I’m under no illusion that the same institution tasked with enforcing laws (really arbitrary man-made legislation) can ever hold itself accountable. But the police state that now exists – where peaceful individuals are threatened with years in a cage and thousands in fines for using children’s chalk on public property – only emerged because of the idea that a rights-violating action suddenly becomes “legitimate” when done by someone wearing a badge. Hopefully documenting this process will help others question the Statist Quo, thereby making competition for this vital good/service more palatable.

More:
Manchester’s Chalking 8 – [VIDEO] all content related to the mass arrests outside Manchester PD on June 4th and subsequent activity for accountability
Manchester PD Tickets MARV [VIDEO]- Sept. 9th
Manchester PD & Bureaucrat Outreach [VIDEO]- Sept. 8th
Manch PD Violate Court Ruling [VIDEO] – Sept. 6th
Supporters Help CopBlock.org Bloggers -Sept. 4th
Chalk the Police press release – Aug. 31st
Court to police: Let the public videotape – Aug. 31st by The Union Leader
Appeals court says there’s a clearly established right to openly record police – Aug. 29th
Manch Arraignment & PD Follow-up – June 7th update about going-ons since arrests on LibertyOnTour.com
Eight Arrested at Manchester, NH Pro-Police Accountability Rally [VIDEO] – June 5th post about incident on CopBlock.org
Eight arrested in protest of Manchester police – June 5th coverage of incident by The Union Leader
Demonstration at the Manchester Police Station – June 4th event on Facebook
LOT Watches The Watchmen – press release sent to Manchester PD (and others) about pending patrol on LibertyOnTour.com
Calling All Manchester Activists – May 31st post outlining week-long activities in Manchester on LibertyOnTour.com
Attorney General clears officers involved in Strange Brew incident – May 27th by The Union Leader
SWAT team had relieved city force – May 10th by The Union Leader