Charles Leblanc's Other Blog: PROTEST FOR SKATEBOARDER LEE BREEN IN FREDERICTON NEW BRUNSWICK!!!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

PROTEST FOR SKATEBOARDER LEE BREEN IN FREDERICTON NEW BRUNSWICK!!!!

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Originally uploaded by Oldmaison

Since he went to Jail for 5 days for believing in his cause? I decided to take the time and blog the pictures of the protest.

Enjoy -

I showed up for the protest around noon.

I noticed Lee Breen chatting with someone on his cell phone. He was giving an interview to a reporter from the Toronto Star newspaper.

I also noticed the media were there in full force. Must have been a very slow news day at the New Brunswick Legislature?...lol...

What's the Irving's views on skateboarders anyway Don??...lol

Getting ready for the final interview before going to Jail for an issue he truly believes in!!!

Already??? The protest never started yet???

Sorry I'm late!!! Can you repeat what you just said earlier???

Media goes around for other views?

justfred.ca was there!!!!

Building a Fortress!!!!

OH OH????

DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN???

The media focuses on the Police Officers.

It must be difficult for an Irving Photographer covering a protest. Every picture you take? You
must take the name of the individual.

Hey? I know how we can rid ourselves from that #%^# Blogger???

Is it too late for an interview en Francais???

If these two Female Officers knew what was coming? They would get the heck out of there!!!

VOILA!!! Perfect shot eh????...lol

I believe someone told them what was on the sign? They quickly went into hiding!!! I found that one funny!!!!...lol...

The media waiting for the next step!!!!

Official at City Hall watching the protest after being interviewed by the media.

No action!!!!

Here we go!!!!!

Onlookers???

When is the action going to begin anyway???

When you're caught behind an embarrassing sign? You bring in the big experience boy!!!

OK!!!! LET THE ACTION BEGIN!!!

HERE WE GO!!!!!!!

I had to run ahead of the group!!!! MY GOD???? I GOT TO QUIT SMOKING!!!!!

That last few feet on a Skateboard for Lee Breen. In a few minutes he'll be arrested!!! He must have been in deep thinking at that point?

THE FINAL RIDE FOR LEE BREEN!!! IT'S OVER!!!!

The gathering at the Justice building!!

Very friendly Police officer. One of the best!!!

Lee Breen tells supporters - SEE YOU IN 5 DAYS!!!!

Lee Breen walks in to surrender to the Police!!!

The media quickly follows inside the building!!!

I decided to follow suite and I could hear the debate in the crowd. Are we allowed to go inside? Who's that Blogger walking in? Thank God? They didn't know they were allowed inside because it could have been chaos inside?

I took these final pictures before walking in the building!

I went inside and 12 members of the media were standing in the hallway while Lee Breen was in the court office giving out his name to a woman.

She didn't know much about it.

She made a phone call and Lee walked away from the office. I chatted with the guy and he told me that he saw his picture on my blog the evening before.

I asked him if he was nervous? He said that he was ready for the five days stay in prison.

He had a pack of smoke with him. He didn't smoke but just in case that he needs favors from other prisoners?

He couldn't bring a weapon with him but I guess a pack of smoke would have to do I guess???...lol

He went into a washroom. I noticed a few Sheriffs were looking for the guy. There were four of them. I knew this would be it!!!

Once Lee came out from the washroom.

This guy asked him if his name was Lee Breen?

He read from a piece of paper and read him the charge and asked if he had 100 bucks to escape the chance to go to jail?

Lee told the Sheriff that he rather go to jail. The Sheriff gave a yes sign and Lee was surrounded by four Sheriff and he was under arrest.

He tried to bring his skateboard and helmet with him but the Sheriff told him he wasn't allowed to bring his toys with him.

Lee asked if there was a room he could put his items in? Nope!!! No luck!!!

Since the media must remain neutral in cases like this? I quickly suggested that I would bring them over to his brother.

Lee gave me the items and was escorted into a room! It was over!!!

A couple of minutes later, Lee came out of the room and shouted- Charles? Can you give the pack of smoke to my brother???

No favors in jail for Lee Breen I guess???...lol

I wonder why people are not allowed to bring a pack of smoke with them?

I walked outside and many people in the crowd were surprise to see me with Lee Breen Helmet, skateboard and Smokes???

As in the past, the convicted guy will be paraded out a side door. This is were the waiting game begins and it can be a long one!!!

This is Lee Breen's Girlfriend.

The waiting game begins!!!

The waiting game continues

and waiting

THERE FINALLY???? ACTION!!!!

The man of the hour is being escorted to jail in handcuff and legs shackles!!!

Treated like Gregory Allen Despres???

Four Sheriffs to escort one Skateboarder??? Sigh.......

Then during the media scrum. I accidentally push my camera to manual!!!! Grrrrrrr

All his supported shouted at Lee Breen to hang in there in support!!!

Lee Breen was on his way to Jail for five days and everyone went home!!!!

I also went home and noticed the Sheriff car stop at the lights at York Street. I quickly ran and these two shots.

The next day everyone across Canada was reading about the Skateboarder who was jailed!!!

It made the Globe and Mail!!!

Yesterday afternoon, I heard that Lee Breen will serve the next four days in his Home as House arrest. Sure enough, there he was last evening giving a LIVE interview to Todd Battis from CBC from his home of course.

Maybe the Government realize that if something < like an assault > happened to him while behind bars? They could be in deep trouble? A media star killed behind bars wouldn't be a good thing.

He could have ended dead like Ashley Smith?

So? What's in store for the brave skateboarder? I don't believe this issue is done yet!!! Not from a long shot!

The part that I find confusing is there's no law that skateboarders are force to wear helmets?

You must while riding a bicycle but not on a skateboard?

Something is very wrong here!

As for Lee Breen case? He does have a point because the City of Fredericton prides itself for being a Green City but issues like this one doesn't help the City's point.

I heard that a new councillor is going to take on his cause.

Bon Travaille Lee was fighting for what you believe in!!!

Bonne Chance and truly STAY TUNED!!!!!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...: http://www.cleanairday.com/; 8:29 AM, May 15, 2008
Anonymous said...: Get real. So many times they cut people off and fly in front of vehicles. No I don't want they taking over our streets. They don't have brakes and sometimes they jump off only to let the board hit someone. They also are rolling on the street injured.

Laws should stay as is.; 6:48 PM, May 15, 2008
Anonymous said...: make skateboard lanes, when designing streets; 11:31 AM, May 16, 2008
chaf said...: Yes there are a few bad apples who zig zag in and out of traffic, so these people should be fined...same goes for kids who hang out in front of business and pull dangerous tricks. However, many skaters, particularly longboarders who use their skateboard as a zero emissions way of traveling around the city. Maybe the city should consider paving the walking paths, this may take some skaters off of the streets.; 3:02 PM, May 16, 2008
Anonymous said...: No way there are more then a few bad apples.

You don't respect other people on the sidewalks or city streets.

Take a look on King St in Saint John; they start at the top and come down with speed and expect everyone to move. Some day a deaf person will be hit or someone who has their tunes in their ears. Also a Mother pushing her child and you decide that if you jump off you will be injured so attempt to go around and clock someone. You don't have full control.; 9:02 AM, May 17, 2008
Dan F said...: "You don't have full control."

I'll take a collision with a skateboarder over some fart in an Oldsmobile any day.

There will always be dangers to living in this world, to make is otherwise would be to deprive us of a life worth living.

Downtown, you already have to drive so slow, I don't see where some errant skateboarders will cause so much trouble.

Here in the Netherlands, people bike (without helmets) constantly - they get in a few accidents, but it's really no big deal. I see people go down, get grazed by cars, run into trucks at low speed.

There are bad accidents too, but you can't control everything - why start at people who want to bike or skate on streets whose drivers can barely afford the lease, let along gas payments of their automotive shackles?

Bad stuff happens whether you drive a car or walk the sidewalks, your government can't totally protect you without making life overly constrained and artificially banal.

I think it's the creeping everyone-sues-everyone American system coming up North with their fake dollars and pleas for cheap gas and water.

For those that love freedom, skating and other 'incongruent', yet peaceful activities will not be blunted by authoritarian force alone.

Better up the Ritalin doses if you want to try and strong-arm the kids through this one.; 8:32 PM, May 17, 2008
Anonymous said...: How many have been killed by a Skateboard?? How many have been killed by a Car??
Seems like Fredricton Council has thier collective heads up the wrong end and that includes the courts and everbody else involved in prosecuting the person!

How many lives have been saved by throwing this person in jail for doing nothing wrong?

What is the Goal of the Council and Police; 5:29 PM, May 17, 2008
Anonymous said...: This thing about protecting public and enforcing law is such a farce. I was crossing York at Queen and a Sheriff's car turns right on RED as I am about to cross, with Pedestrian sign on. There is a Police Car, one vehicle behid it and I tell the COP to go and ticket the Sheriff's car and he says sure but drives farther down on Queen and pulls over into the Police Station.

I tell you, the establishment is one of entitlement and status quo. I marvel at Lee's courage for taking on the sedate establishment.; 8:02 AM, May 22, 2008
Anonymous said...: this man is a community leader, not a criminal.

I am glad that his protest made international news.

As a parent who does not own a car, I have taken to skateboarding with a stroller to get myself and my son around town. For safety reasons, I usually stick to the sidewalks, but where there are bike lanes in my town, I use those as it is safer than sidewalks. No cracks, pedestrians or doors to be opened in front of us (except for CARS PARKED in the bike lanes).

the law is obviously out of date and needs to be re-written. There is a new generation of adults/parents who grew up with skateboarding. I have skated for more than 15 years and am not about to give it up.

Look at Vancouver for a progressive city approach to skateboarding (http://skateboarddirectory.com/articles/481757_its_skateboard_week_in.html); 12:48 PM, May 25, 2008
Anonymous said...: Great coverage Charles

Who deserves the credit for issuing the ticket in the first place!?

We need to give credit where credit is due!

There is a proud public servant...somewhere in this city...a bureaucrat with a gun...acting as a police "constable".

We must honor this "constable" each and every time the opprotunity presents itself.; 8:24 PM, September 06, 2008
Anonymous said...: Its all about Control,Thats all!; 1:48 PM, November 02, 2008
Anonymous said...: vive la libertee au Canada

live the liberties in Canada; 12:09 AM, November 25, 2008