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“Easy, easy, easy! I’m not resisting!”
- Sam Logulo’s response to being grabbed by security officers

I tried, but couldn’t post this story without including my thoughts on the subject. Not just because it’s an important topic, but because it involves my friends Cody & Sam. I saw them in Louisville the day before and it’s scary to think of what could have happened, knowing how quickly cops reach for their tasers and guns these days.

Some of you may not think twice about the 1984-ish phrase “police state” and what it means to our country. But the fact is– this is yet another instance of abuse of power. You may be thinking “yeah right, they were out to cause trouble.” Sorry, but no. My friends were simply exercising their First Amendment rights. They didn’t touch anyone. They made no threats. They were only asking questions and documenting the answers.

What gives a privately hired security officer (aka, not real cops) the right to shove a non-threatening individual to the ground? Let alone 5 of them? What Constitutional right do they have to take someone’s property and never return it? What if that was your digital camera? Your purse? Would you be okay with that?!

As Editor of The Liberty Voice, I’m trying to put the power (and obligation) of the media to work and have called the Louisville Police Dept. and left messages with the Kentucky Expo Center to try and get answers about this.

So far the Police Dept. is denying involvement and I’ve gotten no word back from the Expo Center. Big surprise. However– we must keep calling (502-367-5180) and demanding not only an explanation about what happened, but the return of all property seized. Once we have the video footage, we can move forward with our case and get some justice served.

It’s called FASCISM my friends, and we must fight this… before it comes to get YOU and ME.

It’s plain as day. If you don’t see it, I recommend reading Naomi Wolf’s “The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot” or watch her presentation here.

“It is a mistake to think that early in a fascist shift you see the profile of barbed wire against the sky. In the early days, things look normal on the surface; peasants were celebrating harvest festivals in Calabria in 1922; people were shopping and going to the movies in Berlin in 1931.

…As Americans turn away quite leisurely, keeping tuned to Internet shopping and American Idol, the foundations of democracy are being fatally corroded.”
- Naomi Wolf

Having said all that… here’s the story:

1st Amendment Rights Shattered, Video Footage Confiscated

On Sunday, May 18th, members of We Are Change were assaulted and interrogated on the property of the Louisville Exposition Center while covering Oliver North at the NRA national convention. Sam Logulo was grabbed and driven to the floor, and Cody Deeds was pushed down his knees outside.

Members of WeAreChange were physically removed from Louisville Exposition Center on Sunday after confronting Iran Contra figure Oliver North. Members questioned North on his involvement with Continuity of Government, the need for a new 9/11 investigation, and concentration camps in America.

Lt. Colonel Oliver North, a FOX News host, was confronted by a combination of activists from WeAreChange Ohio, and Kentuckiana Change. Cody Deeds stood up during a question and answer session and asked North to explain exactly what the Continuity of Government was, at which point North went into his involvement with REX 84 during the Reagan Administration. North explained that at the time it was a plan to continue the government in the event of a Soviet attack. As a follow up question, Deeds asked a question “Given the knowledge of secondary devices in [World Trade Center] building 7, would you support a new investigation of 9/11.” North initially scoffed at the notion of government involvement, but Deeds reiterated that he had not mentioned the government and only wanted know if given knowledge of secondary devices, would he support a new investigation. At which point, North replied, “Investigate everything.”

On North’s way out of the forum, Sam Logulo asked North about the Iran Contra hearings and the presence of concentration camps in America. North claimed that American concentration camps were shut down after World War II. Logulo replied, “Some of them are being reopened,” while North responded, “show me the proof.” Logulo specifically mentioned the suburban town of Beech Grove, outside of Indianapolis. North told Logulo to send the evidence to his email address.

On the way out, the members gave a variety of DVDs including TerrorStorm and Blueprint for Truth to North. In addition, the members gave a Patriots Question 9/11 flier to North and an article about ex-Congressman Daniel Hamburg regarding evidence that the U.S. government created Al-Qaeda and was involved with 9/11.

Later, Logulo told North that he would send him the information on the camps, but at this point, police surrounded the WeAreChange members. The officers told the members to shut off their cameras. Adam Covington from Kentuckiana Change asked an officer, “Why can’t I record this when I have a press pass, and this is a second and first amendment venue?” Despite the lack of explanation from the police, the members shut off their devices and proceeded to walk out of the building.

While being escorted out, a plainclothes officer yelled “Give me your camera,” and tried to snatch Logulo’s camera from behind. Four officers tackled Logulo, and drove him to the ground. One officer put Logulo into a headlock.

“Easy, easy, easy!” Logulo exclaimed. “I’m not resisting.”

As Logulo was being assaulted, Deeds was filming his fellow WeAreChange member in order to record the abuse. He was told to stop filming at which point he didn’t comply and continued filming anyway.

“Get him!” yelled a plainclothes officer as he ran at Deeds. Three officers took Deeds down to his knees as they ripped the camera out of his hand. Deeds tried to take the memory stick out of his camera, and was accused of “tampering with evidence,” a Class D felony according to officer Rehm. Deeds later explained, “The footage was my only defense.”

The police confiscated four memory cards, two battery packs, two sets of batteries, and a disc. Throughout the 30 min ordeal the members of Change were interrogated, harassed, and searched.

To prevent further harassment at future events, members have stated that they would appreciate any attorneys that would provide their support.

All attorneys may contact Cody Deeds at WeAreChangeOhio.com.

If you would like to see the video footage, call the Louisville Metro Police at (502) 574-7111 or write:

Louisville Metro Police Department
633 W Jefferson St
Louisville, KY 40202