Approximately one year ago Red Light Cameras went up in the city of Kansas City, MO. We were there the weekend they were turned on, stood out at the sight of the first camera, and protested. We were booed and flipped off by most drivers. Later last spring, a bill to ban the red light cameras was killed in committee.

Fast forward to three weeks ago. We held another protest on January 23^rd at the same location as the prior year. This time we came armed with information to give driver’s about the reasons why they should care about the red light cameras, how the city could actually prevent red light running without a cost to the taxpayers, and information on a new bill in the Missouri Senate to, once again, try to ban red light cameras in the state of Missouri. The January protest went over great! We handed out over 200 of our information packets and the reaction from the driver’s was very positive this time. They are TIRED of the cameras.

We decided that since the feedback was so positive with the January protest, we would do another one in February. One spontaneous idea of Liberty Restoration Project turned into a Nationwide Valentine’s Day Red Light Camera protest. We set up a facebook event calling for other cities to get involved nationwide and it worked! We ended up having 10 cities involved with the Valentine’s Day Red Light Camera protest from all over the nation. Austin, TX, Philadelphia, PA, St. Louis, MO, Santa Maria, CA, Pheonix, AZ, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, Springfield, MO, Savannah, GA, all joined in with Kansas City, MO to protest. This just shows what one seed planted in the minds of a few, can grow into something spectacular in only a matter of weeks.

The reasons for protesting these red light cameras is to bring attention and awareness of them to citizens that they are being installed and used under the guise of safety, when they are truly only there for revenue generation. The protests also help inform driver’s of legislation in their state that could potentially ban the red light cameras in their state. These cameras are just essentially another “tax” on the citizens, they are also unconstitutional as you are denied due process and the right to a fair trial. You cannot face your accuser when you receive a red light traffic camera.

Chicago Valentine’s Day Protests 2010: Homophobia, Red Light Cameras And Horse-Drawn Carriages

Nationwide Red Light Camera Protests to be Held on Valentine’s Day

Video of Red Light Camera Protest in Chicago

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Chicago Red Light Camera Protest a Success!

Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Red Light Cameras Have Got To Go

Protestors to rally against red-light cameras

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Protesters rally against red-light cameras

Video of Sunday’s Red-light ’scamera’ protest

Video: Missourians Protest Red-Light “SCAMeras”

By Justin Kendall in Picket Lines, Politics, Video
Tue., Feb. 16 2010 @ 12:00PM
Kansas City was one of 11 cities targeted in the “National Red Light Protest,” a rally against the red-light “scameras” sprouting up across the country. Protesters from the Liberty Restoration Project held signs as it snowed at the intersection of 39th and Southwest Trafficway. Looks like local photographer Eric Bowers contributed to this video and local Tracy Ward helped organize the protest.

The protesters aren’t alone. St. Louis Sen. Jim Lembke is sponsoring Missouri Senate Bill 637, which would outlaw red-light cameras.

Valentine’s Day Red Light Camera Protest

Red, red, red.

That’s the only color you see on Valentine’s Day.

Red hearts, red roses, red candy, red balloons and now, red light cameras?

With all the love and romance in the air on Sunday for Valentines Day, there won’t be any love being shown at the intersection of Western & Addison between 12-3 PM.

This red light camera intersection will be ground zero for the Chicago outpost of a national protest against red light cameras.

Chicago’s participation is being spearheaded by Scott Tucker, Republican nominee for Illinois State Representative in the 11th District, formerly John Fritchey’s seat.

The 37-year old Tucker has made the RLC issue an important part of his platform.

“I think it’s a quality of life issue… it’s a tax presented as public safety,” said Tucker about red light cameras. “It takes money out of the citizens’ pockets and puts it into the hands of wasteful government.”

This national protest, is being spearheaded by The Liberty Restoration Project, based in Kansas City, MO.

The group decided, after the success of a red light camera protest a few weeks ago, they’d do another one. But this time, they’d try to do it on a national scale via their Facebook page.

According to Tracy Ward, the group’s Area Director for Kansas City, it took just two weeks for the protest go from just a handful of cities to 10 locations nationwide including Chicago.

“It’s been pretty good,” said Ward of the response to their national event. “It’s a totally spontaneous national protest. It kind of blew up on us. We have over 500 people nationwide saying they may or will attend just via Facebook.”

But do protests opposing red light camera actually have any effect?

“They are a necessary part of the process to overturn the use of ticket cameras,” states Gary Bills of the National Motorists Association, an organization which represents and protects the interests of motorists. “The public protests help inform local residents about the money raised by the cameras at the expense of motorists, without any corresponding safety benefit.”

Tucker, running an uphill battle against Democrat Ann Williams, supports Senate Bill 2466, introduced by State Senator Dan Duffy, that looks to eliminate all automated enforcement cameras (red light or speed) in Illinois.

However, according to Sen. Duffy and Tucker, SB2466 is being held up in committee by Senate President John Cullerton. Tucker hopes this protest in Cullerton’s backyard, will bring some pressure to bear on the Democrat.

“It depends on how Sen. Cullerton reacts,” says Tucker when asked if he feels Sunday’s protest will have an effect. “If he sides with Mike Madigan than constituents, then constituents will suffer. If he chooses to represent constituent concerns, he will call the bill to the floor. But without some decent public pressure, this bill will not see the light of day.”

Repeated requests for comments were made to Ann Williams’ campaign office but without any response.

http://theexpiredmeter.com/?p=5156

Had enough of the red light cameras in your city? Join others across the US in “showing your love” for them this Valentine’s Day by protesting near one of your local red light cameras. LOLA Tracy Ward from the Liberty Restoration Project has initiated this nationwide protest, in response to the growing number of cameras popping up around the country.

The Liberty Restoration Project can also provide you with pertinent information to hand out to drivers, as well as other suggestions on making your area’s protest maximally effective. To contact them, find out where your protest is in your area, or to organize one of your own, visit the Nationwide Red Light Camera Protest’s Cause page on Facebook.
Written by Leah Patrick

Have I mentioned how proud I am of Tracy?  I have been on the road for a month and have not gotten my official announcement out, but if you haven’t noticed the WAVES OF LIBERTY rippling through KC this past month, you must be blind.  Tracy has stepped up as the new KC area director and is going 90 mph.  I am so proud of her.  I’ll do the formal announcement when I’m off the road for a bit

Tracy, LRP KC, I love ya’ll!

Tony, THANK YOU FOR COVERING THE REAL NEWS!

<3 Catherine

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Saturday, January 23, 2010

THE TKC SATURDAY NIGHT PLAYLIST!!! GRASSROOTS PROTEST AND THE FUTURE OF LOCAL POLITICS!!!

Today I stopped by the Liberty Restoration Project Red Light Camera Protest and I was impressed.

Over the past few years I’ve noticed a lot more people organizing through the Internets and even old school grass roots methods because local politicos haven’t offered much in the way of leadership. This dedicated group is a great example of a few pissed off locals rallying on a subject that is evoking the ire of quite a few locals.

More importantly, I think grass roots organizing via the Internet is only going to grow more important as (by and large) the current crop of politicos in power (still) seem to be disconnected with what the vast majority of people on the street are thinking. I was talking with a rather well-connected professional working for a bit of change in his community today and he spoke of his efforts to simply, “bypass the leadership and go straight to the people.” That’s a sentiment I’m hearing more often nowadays and I can’t help but think that the local Internet is going to play some role . . . Don’t get me wrong, it’s not going to be all sunshine and flowers . . . Local politics moving to the Internets definitely means more fighting, nastiness and divisive content online but it also puts more hands into individuals and small time operators who also want to aggregate and congregate online like so many recent political campaigns.

via Tony’s Kansas City.

LRP getting coverage on Tony’s KC blog.  Check it out!  Thank him for spreading the word!

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Friday, January 22, 2010

KANSAS CITY RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST THIS SATURDAY!!!

Interesting . . . The Liberty Restoration Project takes on Kansas City’s Red Light Cameras this weekend.

This group has a pretty solid list of complaints with local Red-Light Camera efforts.

Protest Details:

Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010

Time: 11:30am – 3:00pm

Location: 39th and Southwest Trafficway, Kansas City, MO

Protesters are encouraged to meet first at Westport Coffee House to distribute supplies among the group, the group will then move to 39th and Southwest Trafficway.

Double Bonus Points, the group will have fliers available to educate drivers on how to fight their tickets.

via Tony’s Kansas City: KANSAS CITY RED LIGHT CAMERA PROTEST THIS SATURDAY!!!.

1. No clear proof that red light cameras reduce accidents or save lives (but they usually do generate lots of revenue for the city!).

source- http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/nma-objections-to-photoenforcement/#nosafety

2. Red light cameras might actually cause more rear end collisions, because people brake suddenly at yellow lights to avoid red light camera tickets.

3. The red light camera system might not be functioning properly, or might not be properly calibrated, and you could get stuck with a bogus ticket as a result.

4. If somebody else is driving your car and runs a light, YOU are responsible for the ticket.

5. You might have a bunch of red light cameras along your daily route, and thus be unfairly targeted.

6. Most of the Kansas City red light cameras are located in areas with higher minority populations and lower income populations.

7. Cities and red light camera companies often reduce the green->yellow->red light cycle time (aka “signal timing”) at intersections so more people will run the light, and get a ticket, and pay the $100+ fine and consequently increase revenue for the city and/or red light camera company that shares in ticket fine proceeds. An unfortunate side effect of this practice is an increase in accidents and injuries.

8. Steve Worley, the city traffic engineer who pushed for the red light camera system use, quit his job and went to work for the company that got the contract to supply red light cameras to the city.

source-http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/17/1733.asp

9. City employees and other people with connections in city hall often get their tickets dismissed. But YOU still have to pay your fine.

10. Red light camera tickets are a bogus revenue generator for the city that ultimately comes out of YOUR paycheck.

11. If you supposedly run a red light and get issued a ticket, the ticket is mailed to you. What happens if the ticket gets lost in the mail? You’ll probably never know about the ticket until you’re arrested for failure to pay the fine.

12. Hearsay (i.e. there is no certifiable witness to the alleged violation). “Ordinarily, if you wish to use a document or letter as evidence in court, you need to bring in a live person to testify as to its authenticity and accuracy (and he can be cross-examined about the same, by your opponent). Without that ‘live’ authentication, the document would be ruled to be ‘hearsay,’ and it would be excluded from evidence.  There is an exception to the hearsay rule, for documents created by a government employee – but many of the documents the police present in court have been created by a private company’s employees, who have no official duty to report accurately.” In other words, if you want to contest the ticket in court, you most likely would not win your case.

source one- http://www.highwayrobbery.net/

source two-http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/

13. This type of enforcement emphasizes ticket volume.

source-http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/nma-objections-to-photo-enforcement/#volume

14. Red light cameras encourage artificially low speed limits, and adversely affect traffic flow.

source – http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/nma-objections-to-photo-enforcement/#artificiallylow

15. There are better alternatives to red light cameras.

source- http://www.motorists.org/photoenforce/home/nma-objections-to-photo-enforcement/#alternatives

Last week the LRP traveled to Jefferson City to testify by the side of fellow liberty lovers ( Missourians Against Red Light Cameras ) against the use of Red Light Traffic Cameras in the state of Missouri. 

Now it’s up to these seven senators whether our bill lives or dies. Call and tell them you support Senate Bill 211 and disdain the use of these cameras on our streets! 

John Griesheimer (573) 751-3678

Dan Clemens (573) 751-4008

Delbert Scott (573) 751-8793

Carl Vogel (573) 751-2076

Joan Bray (573) 751-2514

Ryan McKenna (573) 751-1492

Wes Shoemyer (573) 751-7852

They could be voting any day this week, so it is imperative that you CALL NOW!

peace, love and liberty,

Catherine Bleish

Channel 9 video: http://www.kmbc.com/video/18720732/index.html

Channel 4 article: http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-red-light-cameras-story-21609,0,5078568.story

If you find more photos/press on this rally please email links to catherine@libertyrestorationproject.org.

Also, if you are interested in testifying in person or in writing on SB211 (to ban red light cameras in MO) in Jefferson City this Wednesday, please  email catherine@libertyrestorationproject.org