Critical Mass is a Contact Sport

Cops TACKLES bicyclist in Time Square

news reports part 1


news reports part 2

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Mandatory Evacuation From The Rainbow Gathering

7:20 min. ~ Download iPod ~ Bandwidth Challenged
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We entered the Rainbow Gathering on July 7th.. most of the family had left by this time and those who hadn't were packing up, except for the clean up crew. At the final turn into the gathering we were informed that the event was under a MANDITORY EVACUATION due to a raging forest fire ... that no one could see.

Related Links ::: Welcome Home, Wildland Fire Reported Near Rainbow Family Gathering, Mandatory evacuation order given for July 7 fire, Wyoming Gathering 2008

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Crawford Nebraska: We Live in Fear

11.5 min. ~ Download iPod ~ Bandwidth Challenged
embedding options @ Revver Red Ribbon Grand Jury Testimony regarding racism & corruption in Dawes County Nebraska. Specifically Crawford, Nebraska.

Related Links ::: Local News, Mobile Broadcast News

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Testimony Regarding Dominique Ten Fingers

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A part of the Republic of Lakotah Red Ribbon Grand Jury Against Racism & Corruption in Dawes County Nebraska. This is testimony regarding felony assault charges brought against Dominique Ten Fingers, apparently for defending herself in her home.

Related Links ::: Local News, Mobile Broadcast News

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subpoenas

Friends,
I-Witness Video has been served with two subpoenas by lawyers from the City of New York in connection with the 2004 Republican National Convention. The City has demanded every piece of paper, electronic file, and videotape related to the protests - even our copies of the tapes shot by their own NYPD!

We're fighting this gross abuse of subpoena power. Yesterday our lawyers at Schulte Roth & Zabel moved to quash both subpoenas.

See the website for our statement.
http://iwitnessvideo.info/blog/index.html

This is a link to today's New York Times article about the subpoenas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/nyregion/20convention.html

We need your support to continue this important work. Let us know if you are interested in helping to document the presidential conventions in Denver and Minneapolis this summer. And if you can make a financial contribution at iwitnessvideo.info/contribute/index.html, it would be enormously useful at this time, to help us fight these subpoenas, and to continue our work opposing police misconduct.

In solidarity,
Eileen Clancy

e-mail: iwitness@iwitnessvideo.info
website: iwitnessvideo.info

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CCRB Report Recommends NYPD Discipline

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An update regarding the video "Get That Camera!". The NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board has recommended command discipline for one officer and allowed 2 to skate by. The CCRB has NO authority to actually discipline police officers, their recommendations are sent to the Police Commissioner. I expect another letter in 2 years telling me no punishment will be levied against the fall guy.

Related Links ::: WATCH "GET THAT CAMERA!"

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Mid Town Tunnel Blockade ~ NYC

May 7, 2008.. NYC citizens disrupt all major Bridges and Tunnels to show outrage at Sean Bell "50 shots" verdict*... Video by TeamSpider
*all officers: NOT Guilty

Related Links ::: Sean Bell Murder Protests

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Press Arrested for Filming Hot Pig on Bear Action

Monday October 22nd, at least 59 people had been arrested taking part in the No War No Warming direct action taking place all day on capitol hill. Protesters used creativity in staging their demonstrations to bring attention to the need to end the war in Iraq, and to focus our energy on solving the problem of global warming." Polar Bears for Solutions blocked entrances and sidewalks around the Cannon House office building on capitol hill in Washington DC.

Related Links ::: The DC Bears, Why Not News, No War No Warming

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Student Coalition Against Racial Profiling @ the 83rd

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30 some kids on the way to their friends WAKE... were arrested, detained for 36 hours and charged with violating the the newly rewritten "definition" of what constitutes an unlawful use of our 1st Amendment Right of Assembly.

July 9th the students served noticed to Brooklyn's 83rd Precinct by using self determination to remove the metal barricades that were placed by the cops to pen in their protest.

Related Links ::: S.C.A.R.P. Student Coalition Against Racial Profiling

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Reverend Billy ~ The Fear Stops Here

5 min. ~ Download Now ~ Bandwidth Challenged ~ embedding options exist hereReverend Billy was arrested on Friday June 29th for reciting the 1st Amendment of the Constitution to the cops that harass the monthly Critical Mass bike ride every month. They claim he was Harassing them.

VIDEO OF THE ARREST

Related Links ::: Times-Up!, Rev. Billy, The 1st Amendment,
Daniel Albano: fascist, camera killer & enemy of the constitution?

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51 Friends in the Park

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51 friends walk to a park ... 3 get arrested ...
NYPD hasn't had the BALLS to try to enforce it's NEW definition of a parade yet.

This new definition wil effect Funeral Processions, walking tours, class field trips, church picnics ... and Oh yeah this http://www.nysun.com/article/52881 was HIGHLY ILLEGAL.

Related Links ::: TIMES UP!, Radical Homosexual Agenda

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1st Amendment Right to Assemble... nice while it lasted

Download Now ~ high res, full screen versions HERE ~ embedding options HERE

The NYPD now requires a permit for any public gathering, or 'parade', of 50 people or more. Section 1A of the city ruling defines a parade as "any march, motorcade, caravan, promenade, foot, or bicycle race, or similar event of any kind, procession or race which consists of a recognizable group of 50 or more pedestrians, vehicles, bicycles, or other devices move by human power, or ridden or herded animals proceeding together upon any public street or roadway."

This "redefinition" is Explicitly Prohibited in 1st Amendment.

"Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble ..."

This video shows how they intend to regulate free assembly while physically infringing upon the free press by following a typical monthly bike ride through Manhattan. ~ Critical Mass 3-30-07

Come out today in solidarity with the Radical Homosexual Agenda to challenge this unconstitutional change in rules for public gatherings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're in NYC you can help challenge this "redefinition" TODAY
PARADE WITHOUT A PERMIT! Thursday, April 19th, 4PM at City Hall
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Links ::: Times Up!, Critical Mass Tickets, Glass Bead Collective, Radical Homosexual Agenda

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Torture & Coercion in America

Is It Fascism Yet?

Sign it or I'm gonna shoot you ...
Cops extorting bribe money and drugs from a small business man.

This starts out a little slow just keep listening.
If you're not truly disgusted by the end... your a fascist.

Related Links ::: More Info @ Free Speech TV, Thank You 2 Pirate News

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Black Panther Flag Ceremony

4 min 35 secs ~ IPOD ~ Download the Full Screen Version
Bandwidth Challenged, or on U2B other embedding options exist here
At the end of the 40,000 person strong "Shopping For Justice" March lead by Al Sharpton a group of Panthers raised their Fists in front of Macy's and burned a flag for justice.

Related Links ::: Fire Ray Kelly, Failing to Protect,
History of the Black Panther Party, New Orleans Panthers

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The War on Journalism

6 minutes ~ IPOD ~ Download the Full Screen Version
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other embedding options exist here or here

This video is dedicated to Independent Journalists worldwide who've paid a price for seeking the truth ... some more than others. ~presente

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

It's not like this is the 1st time ...
CBS 2 Investigates: Videotape Cops At Own Peril

In the last three years, there has been an increase of 25% in civilian complaints against the NYPD. In the last two years, there has been an increase of 12% in lawsuits filed against the NYPD for false arrest, assault, excessive force or other wrongdoing.*

Related Links ::: Let Them Talk, Reporters Without Borders, Friends of Brad Will, Free Josh Wolf, Witness, "Why I did not leave Nazi Germany in time", Al Crespo's PBS Photo Journalism Video, Guilty of Independent Journalism, Who will police the NYPD?, Failing to Protect, IFEX, IFJ, Off-Center, I Witness Video, Brad Will's last Stand ~ VIDEO, Brad Will Vigil ~ VIDEO, Bloggers Beware, CyberJournalist.net, The Center for Citizen Media

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Cop Watching

Eye of the Storm

August 22 2002 Portland Oregon
The face of dissent through the eyes of official police surveillance video.

Related Links ::: Cop Watch 101

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The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters

Created by Flex Your Rights and narrated by retired ACLU director Ira Glasser, BUSTED realistically depicts the pressure and confusion of common police encounters in an entertaining and revealing manner.

Related Links ::: Flex Your Rights, Ira Glasser

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Police Involved in Illegal Seizure of Property

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Illegal Seizure of Files, Confidential Information at Common Ground-managed
Woodlands Apartment Complex, Algiers

New Orleans restaurant owner, Darryl Reginelli, illegally seized information
and equipment from the Woodlands Apartment Complex on the West Bank on
Wednesday morning. Complicit in this act were two NOPD officers believed to
be long-term associates of Reginelli. Complaints were made at the Public
Integrity Bureau and the District station.

Without providing a court order or any legal authority, Darryl Reginelli,
co-owner of Reginelli's pizza parlors, entered the Administrative office of
the Woodlands Apartments with the assistance of two uniformed New Orleans
Police Department officers, witnesses said. Reginelli stole multiple files,
including apartment leases, and a computer containing confidential tenant
and workforce information. The violation comes during a deeply contested
sale that pits low-income tenants against wealthy developers seeking
evictions.

"They illegally took our computers and our files and they didn't stop 'til I
came in there. I took what was in one of their hands, threw it on the floor
and the rest of them left. If it had been legal, they would have arrested
me. Again, it shows you, they knew what they were doing was illegal," said
Malik Rahim at a Woodlands Tenants meeting held Wednesday afternoon. Rahim
is a co-founder of Common Ground, the relief organization that acquired
management rights to the Woodlands in May 2006.

Reginelli and his wife, Angela, a prominent employee of Channel 6 WDSU,
previously owned the Woodlands, purchasing it in 2000 and some estimate
making millions off the property while allowing conditions to deteriorate
severely. Since taking over management in May under a gentleman's agreement,
Common Ground has provided approximately one million dollars in labor and
material improvements to the complex. While rents across the city have
skyrocketed, Common Ground management froze the rents at the Woodlands to
pre-Katrina levels, fostered a strong tenants union and ran a workers'
cooperative with paid skills training.

Throughout the past five months Reginelli made recurring promises sign a
purchase agreement with Common Ground but continually rescheduled and
cancelled appointments while seeking another buyer. "We're gonna let the
rest of the nation know what's going on," Rahim said Wednesday, referring to
the breached agreements, backdoor real estate dealings and planned mass
evictions.

Common Ground will mount an appeal to the City Council at Thursdays meeting,
and reach out to local and national organizations for support in favor of
residents' rights while pursuing appropriate legal action. "The tenants have
rights, they know their rights, and they are organized," said Soleil
Rodrigue, Legal Coordinator for Common Ground. "They will not go quietly
into the ranks of the Post-Katrina homeless."

Contact: Soleil Rodrigue, Legal Coordinator, 504-717-7324

Related Links ::: Common Ground Collective, N.O.TV Collective,
New Orleans Housing Rights Videos

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DC Lawyer Arrested For Observing the New Orleans Police Department

Common Ground Legal Advocacy Committee
1415 Franklin Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70117
504-717-7324

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS CONFERENCE
9 AM Wednesday, October 18th
City Hall, 1300 Perdido St
Contact: Soleil Rodrigue, Legal Coordinator, Common Ground Relief, 504-717-7324

NOPD Arrests Washington D.C. based Attorney for Observing an Arrest
On Monday, October 16th two New Orleans Police Officers falsely arrested visiting Washington D.C. based attorney Miles Swanson for observing their conduct during an arrest. Today, Common Ground joins New Orleans residents, Safe Streets/Strong Communities and the New Orleans ACLU in calling for a transparent and accountable police force, and calling on Superintendent Warren Riley to take the lead in upholding citizens’ basic rights.

"Any false arrest is an egregious violation of basic rights," said Swanson, "but even more so if that abuse of power occurs as an attempt to terrorize and intimidate citizens away from ensuring professional police conduct." Swanson provides free legal aid to returning New Orleans residents, including bankruptcy counselling with the Pro Bono Project, and civil and criminal assistance with the Free Legal Clinic of Common Ground Relief.

"Those who are serious about transforming the image and substance of the NOPD must welcome citizen observation of officers' conduct, and call for the establishment of an Office of the Independent Monitor," states Soleil Rodrigue, Common Ground Legal Advocacy Committee Coordinator." Why are citizens who witness police behavior harassed and subjected to false arrest? Why are the records of these public servants being kept from the public? Don't the authorities themselves say 'You have nothing to worry about if you have nothing to hide?"

Related Links ::: End Police Harrasment Rally Oct 23rd. New Orleans,
Miles Swanson Kicks Ass and Saved Mine, Common Ground Collective

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More Threats for Videotaping Police

Massachusetts.
It's an odd case, with all sorts of strange twists and turns. But the gist of the case is that the state police and prosecutors are threatening a woman with crimnal sanctions for posting video of an arrest on her website. Not only that, but state prosecutors are apparently threatening other websites (actually, the website of the man arrested in the video) for merely linking to the video.

The case caught the attention of the Boston Phoenix, which gave the prosecutor and state police one of it's "Muzzle Awards" for suppressing free speech. The paper sums up what's at stake rather succinctly:

Since no one other than the State Police objects to the video being posted, we must assume that it is they who believe their rights are somehow being violated. But how can that be? They are seen carrying out their public duties: arresting a citizen and temporarily depriving him of his freedom. Our right to keep tabs on how the police use that power is vital.

Related Links ::: Here's a LINK To The Video,
Reporter Stalked, Beaten, Tazed & Arrested

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