Long live Free Speech! Free speech is dead!

Did you know, that in London, Ontario, you can be charged with "contempt of cop?"  Well, now you can!  Just think, you're walking down the street, and you say fuck a few times in conversation with someone, and you too can be charged with contempt of cop.  Yes, that's right, if there's a cop in the vicinity  and you say fuck, maybe even in conversation with the cop, you too can get a summons to court!

But in all seriousness, since when is using profanity against the law?  I was taught that we live in a free country, where free speech is paramount to a free and democratic society.  This doesn't mean that agents of the state get to decide what amounts to free speech and what doesn't.  The cops would have let the fuckin' nazi's march in our streets, in a mistaken belief that hate speech is free speech, for fucks sake.

Here's the encounter that's led to this fucked up situation for those interested in what a police state looks like:

A little background now.  For the previous few months before this, the police had been very interested in all things Occupy.  I fail to see how an uninvited group would think it's ok to "observe" and "monitor" a peaceful group of activists.  They wonder why I'm so outspoken and critical?  Maybe because they forgot what police work is really about.  Like catching real criminals.  Like kidnappers, rapists, and murderers.

But this is easy work.  Watching a bunch of people rally.  Not like you have to do much.  Just stand there, and be a reminder that if you try to do anything "bad" we're gonna getcha.  Oh, better not march on the streets now, better not be too loud, better not FUCKING SWEAR!  Ooops.. I'm sooooo sorry.

And you know, if you want to say,"Oh, well, you're in the wrong, they were just doing their job", well, sorry, but you'll have to excuse me when I say this is classic intimidation tactics by the state.  This is how it starts people.  With the surveillance and persecution of peaceful activists.  To believe otherwise, is to be truly naive and ignorant.  A history lesson might be in order.  But that'll have to be another post.  For now, lets just say, I don't believe in standing idly by, while someone violates me.  In any way, shape, or form.

A few weeks ago, I was walking downtown.  I noticed a woman being questioned by the police.  As I was walking by, the one cop started calling my name, and said, "hey, I've got a ticket for you".  He was lying to me.  There was never any ticket.  It was an weak attempt at trying to get me to stop to intimidate me.  I ignored him, and continued about my business.

So I went to pay my bill.  When I was in the store, I saw the cornelius nieuwland walk by the door in the hallway and hesitate when he saw me.  He continued and I finished paying my bill.  As I walked out the store, mike pottruff started following me, and calling my name.  I got fed up, and took out my phone and started filming.  I hit the record button twice by accident, so didn't get any footage of my first discussion.  I turned the other direction and walked away.  I started filming myself at this point, to try and document my experience, and noticed that mike had also turned around.  cornelius was waiting at the corner(right beside a "No Loitering sign ironicly) and mike went to join him.  Anyway, you can watch that vid here:

                                   

mike says that he's got a summons for me at this point.  I'm well aware that no fucking beat pig is going to have a summons on his person, and therefore, has no reason to stop and harass me, other than to practice intimidation techniques.

I don't respond well to so called "authority" figures overstepping their mandates.  Fuck bacon.  You want to intimidate and harass peaceful activist's, you've got another thing coming.  I'll fight this, because it is the right thing to do.  We let cops violate our rights, then we are asking for trouble.  The only thing I am guilty of, is "contempt of cop" and that's not a fucking crime pigs.

See ya in court.

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mike pottruff #109322 cornelius nieuwland #303838