Saturday, 2010-01-16 was an unseasonably warm day in the New Hampshire region. Because of this my roommate Mike and I figured it would be a perfect day to go live free and hold an impromptu 420 celebration at Veteran’s Park in downtown Manchester. Celebrations like the one we were planning that morning were held throughout the late summer and fall in both Keene and Manchester. These celebrations, in which the participants partake in the public and open consumption of cannabis, were left completely unmolested in every instance of them occurring in the Manchester area—that is, until that Saturday in January.

Around 16:00, Mike and I arrive on scene, close to the corner of Elm and Central in downtown Manchester. We did not expect a large turnout because of the short notice, so we sat down smoked a cigarette and figured we’d just wait around until the time arrived to do the public consumption and leave. We had done this dozens of times a few months earlier and it all seemed almost routine that afternoon. By the time it reached 4:20, there were a total of six of us that had gathered, three of which were actually participating in celebration.

As we were passing around a marijuana cigarette (and may I mention, not hurting, nor bothering, any passersby) two gentlemen who were wearing jeans, fleece jackets and baseball caps, entered the circle and asked if we were smoking. As we were not there to hide anything we acknowledged what we were doing without even giving it a second thought. At that moment the two men identified themselves as police and stated that we were observed to be smoking marijuana in public and that we were being detained by the officers. At this point the marijuana cigarette was already consumed and the roach was disposed of.

The officers then told the whole group to sit on the benches against the stone wall bordering the park while we were “dealt with appropriately.” They immediately asked for everyone’s ID, and out of the six of us, Mike, Brian, and I all refused to give over any form of identification. It was at this point where we became the focal point of their questioning and “investigation.” Mike had already taken his phone out and was immediately accosted by one of the plains clothes cops for daring to try to record the interaction. Mike stood his ground, did not give up his camera, and refused to coöperate in any fashion. Mike then stood up and began talking to the cop who tried to take his phone, all the while recording what was going on with Brian and me.

At this point things start to get a little jumbled around as so many things were going on at once. I will do my best to relay things in chronological order in attempts to make things as clear as possible.

By the time Mike had stood up and was talking to the officer, at least three more cop cars, one police van, and about five or six regular uniformed officers had shown up to the “scene of the crime.” They literally had formed a semi-circle around us and were trying to look as intimidating as possible. They told Brian he going to be searched. Brian stated he had no interest in being searched but this did little to dissuade the armed goon, and Brian was stood upright by two officers and patted down. While this patdown was going on, Brian was on the phone with another activist telling him directions to get to the park, and to call for help as we were in the thick of things. When the search of Brian’s person led to the discovery of some contraband, Brian’s phone was taken from him, and he was placed in handcuffs and put to the side.

After dealing with Brian their attention was then focused on me. I was forced to my feet after I refused to be searched, and my wallet was taken out of my pocket. I carry no government ID, and all my wallet contained was a photo ID from my place of employment. This did not please the officer at all and he demanded to know my birthdate. He also demanded to know if I held a license in any other state. As this was my first serious interaction with a police officer, my adrenalin was pumping and my nerves were high. I began spitting out my DOB when Mike looked at me and asked why I was answering their questions. I replied to him that I had no idea why I was answering their questions, and then asked the officer if I was legally required to tell him this information. The cop threatened me with arrest because I was impeding an investigation, and he needed to know who he was dealing with for his safety.

While I was being questioned, Brian was led into a police van and taken away, and another activist (the one who was on the phone with Brian earlier) had walked over and began filming and snapping pictures of the scene. It was at this point where I was able to take out my phone and begin recording. (You can view my video here.) After I told the cop that I would not give up my DOB, he then stated I am wasting his time and told me to leave. He then began to search another activist who arrived on a bike, and had a backpack with him. I sat and recorded to make sure that nobody else got hurt. After that search resulted in no arrestable offence, the remaining activists that were seated on the benches were told to leave and get out.

As Mike got up to leave, he stepped between two or three of the officers, and gently brushed one of their jackets. The officer then lunged his arm out, grabbed Mike, and then asked if he thought he could “shove me like that.” Two or three officers then surrounded Mike and placed him under arrest. Mike then dropped to his knees and went limp. The officers asked if they told him to sit down, and demanded that he stood up. Mike passively resisted and responded in no verbal or physical way. At this point my phone locked up and I began getting phone calls from all over the state.

Three officers stood Mike up straight, searched him one more time (I don’t recall if he had been searched initially), and then placed him down again. They kept threatening him with abuse if he did not get up. They told him to “get up and walk like a man” and other similar comments. The police then formed a circle around him, trying to prevent us from recording what was going on. Everyone then waited until the police van returned from dropping Brian off. At this point three officers picked Mike up and dragged him about twenty feet across the sidewalk, and tossed him head first into the back of the police van.

It was one of the most disgusting displays of humanity I have ever seen. The activists that were left to view this display heckled and berated the participants in their lack of conscience and morals, for what it was worth.

And just like that, all the cops were gone, and we were left on the sidewalk alone again, not hurting or bothering anyone. There were four of us left after the cops had departed, so we decided to hoof it to the police station and wait to see if we could get our friends out of jail. Within thirty minutes of us arriving at the station, four had turned to eight. An hour after that eight had turned into eleven, and by the time we made our way to the Valley Street Jail to bail out Brian, eleven had turned into fifteen. The last three and a half hours of this story are rather dull, as is basically involves waiting for bureaucrats, sitting in uncomfortable waiting rooms, and being told half truths by every government employee we encountered. The real success I wish to point out is that we had three times as many people show up to lend their support after the arrests, then who showed up for the celebration in the first place. There was standing room only in the jail waiting room where we exchanged $500 for our friend’s (relative) freedom.

But there is still a victim being held by the armed Manchester thugs. Big Mike is still refusing to identify himself to the State. Chances are that much like Sam last summer, the State more than likely knows Mike’s identity, and is just going to hold him until he voluntarily gives up his information. I met Mike in the middle of August, and we have been roommates ever since. I know for a fact he will not budge one bit. He is not afraid of the thugs, and is not afraid to spend months in jail to prove that he is not owned by anyone. But because of this, the State refuses to set bail for his release, state the charges against him, or even let the public know when his arraignment is. Brian, who was the last person to speak with Mike, stated that he had some serious bruising over his body because of the dragging and manhandling.

I want this story to have a pleasant ending for Big Mike. I want my friend home from jail and to be safe from abuse. I want the State to stop kidnapping my friends over a plant or chemical. I want the police thugs who think its appropriate behavior to arrest a person because they bruised their ego to see the evil in their actions and beliefs. I want the world to be free and people who occupy it to have their hearts filled with love and peace.

That is the only way change will ever come to the world.