The Battle of Wakarusa
Jim Davidson at the Libertarian Enterprise - The annual Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival took place this year on June 8-11. The JBTs were out in force, stopping almost every car for a warrantless search. Mr. Davidson learned about the event on Friday, its first day, as he was travelling to nearby Lawrence, Kansas, to visit his parents. This article quotes his letters to local ACLU contacts and a lawyer, none of whom did squat about these blatant infringements of civil liberties. Fine rants all. [tle]
But it wasn't all good news. With a USA feral "high intensity drug-trafficking area" grant, the State of Kansas and the Douglas County Sheriff's Department organized blockades of Kansas Highway 10, US Highway 59, and off ramps from Interstate 70, causing a three-day traffic snarl, violating individual liberties, and generally making a mess of the festival. The organizers who have brought the event to Lawrence, Kansas for three years in a row are considering not having it again, due to the oppressive police presence.
In addition to stopping vehicles, ransacking them, destroying private property, conducting warrantless searches on vehicles, persons, tents, and possessions, the police drove through the campground at all hours night and day on golf carts wearing night vision goggles at night to spy on campers in and out of their tents, like a bunch of peeping Toms.
News links here.
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