Outside Manchester Police headquarters on Saturday, six members or sympathizers of the New Hampshire Libertarian Party gathered to protest what they call police violence, and the practice of qualified immunity for officers, with offers to buy back police firearms for a $25 gift card — plus free doughnuts.
One took still photographs. Two, with a microphone and a video camera, came to film a documentary about Ben Weir, a member of the party’s executive committee, who organized the event to buy back police pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles used in the line of duty, which the protesters said sometimes endanger the public.
No law enforcement officers came out of the building to take up their offer. Three passing cars honked between 2:15 and roughly 3 p.m. The libertarians’ signs read, “End Qualified Immunity,” “Save the Dogs,” and “Google Police 40%,” the latter which refers to an estimated percentage of officers who suffer from PTSD or mental illness.
Thirty is the number of New Hampshire dogs that have been killed purposely or accidentally by police on the job, according to the libertarians.
They were offering a lifetime membership in the N.H. Libertarian Party to any officer who surrendered his badge.
There were no takers.
— Manchester Union Leader in Libertarians offer to buy police firearms in exchange for gift cards and doughnuts
