Type Decentralized project | Website www.copblock.org | |
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Motto Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights Formation January 1, 2010; 7 years ago (2010-01-01) Purpose Promote law enforcement accountability, expose alleged police misconduct, campaign for the complete abolishment of all law enforcement and government Key people Pete Eyre, Ademo Freeman | ||
Cop Block is a grassroots libertarian anti-police organization formerly working to make police accountable for their actions. The organization's members and volunteers attempt to draw attention to alleged or evident police abuses that happen across the United States, and work to film police to force transparency and accountability within their ranks as well. However, believing that accountability will never end brutallity, the group now shift its focus to anarchism and the complete abolishment of all law enforcement and the government.
Contents
Activities
In July 2010, anarchists and libertarians Pete Eyre and Adam "Ademo Freeman" Mueller, key members of the organization were arrested for videotaping officials at the Franklin County, Massachusetts jail. The organization is known for videotaping public officials nationally, with many of the interactions ending in arrest based on an allegation that the activities violate local laws, regulations, policies or rules civil disobedience.
In October 2011, Cop Block sponsored a "National Chalk the Police Day" in fifteen cities to protest arrests of protesters who had used chalk to write anti-police slogans on the sidewalks of public property.
In 2011, Cop Block posted a video to their website, alleging that a Manchester, New Hampshire police officer had used excessive force on a student at West High school. According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, the student showed no visible signs of injury either in his mugshot or later interviews. One of its founders, Ademo Freeman, was arrested for wiretapping, though his only alleged charge was recording public officials without them being aware of it, which is not typically a crime under the 1st Amendment as well as many state laws. He was facing 21 years in prison on the charges, but was sentenced 90 days in jail and three years of probation following his conviction. This conviction was overturned on appeal based on several years of federal jurisprudence.
Controversies
In July 2011, Kershaw County, South Carolina Republican Party co-chair Jeff Mattox became embroiled in a controversy after he 'liked' a Cop Block video cross-posted on a Tea Party website. The controversy was reported on nationally at Politico.com. Mattox stated that he would not step down from his post after the controversy and stated that he had thought the Cop Block article had been an "interesting read."