Welfare Records on River Street has a reputation as a home to fans of punk music. Its owner says patrons have come from New York, Connecticut, California, Virginia, even from England and Canada to enjoy the live music that was offered there on most weekends.
The concerts came to what owner Mike Schneider hopes will be a temporary end after an arrest outside the venue resulted in a charge of police misconduct and prompted a letter of complaint to city leaders from an overseas visitor.
Schneider will appear before the Haverhill License Commission on July 7 to discuss transferring the entertainment license for the shop to friend Josh Hynes. Hynes would reopen under a new name, Schneider said, and live entertainment would likely resume.
Schneider said fans should understand that nothing has been decided yet, but he hopes they will be able to return for shows before the end of the summer.
Even though the shop owner discontinued the concerts, the record store is still open and its customers can be seen inside the store or just outside. Their clothing and hairstyles easily set them apart. Dressed mostly in black, many have dark, dyed hair with streaks of bright pink, purple or green. Most are young, and appear to be in their teens or early 20s.
"We've had a lot of problems with the police in the past. I don't think they like how the kids are dressed. Nobody does anything wrong. No one is fighting in the streets or breaking things. This is a place for kids to come and stay out of trouble. They have a good time and just listen to music," Schneider said.
On many occasions, his customers will go to the White Hen for food and drinks in between shows, Schneider said.
"At bars and clubs in the city, people have to go out on the sidewalks to smoke. I doubt the cops bother people hanging outside those places as much as they do here. I don't know why they have to bother these kids when they are just hanging out and doing nothing wrong," Schneider said.
Schneider could not give an exact number of times that police had responded to Welfare Records, and police did not respond to requests for comment.
However, a police report of a May 31 arrest outside the shop reports that "police have had problems in the past with this establishment having loud parties with live music. The patrons hang out on the sidewalks and also loiter at the White Hen Pantry and all over River Street."
Around 9 p.m. on May 31, police arrested 23-year-old Kara Fullerton of Keene, N.H., outside Welfare Records, charging her with disorderly conduct.
According to an incident report provided by police, Detective Gary Melanson and Haverhill police Officer James Gioia said Fullerton drank from a bottle of vodka and "yelled and swore at the officers when she was approached."
The Keene woman does not deny that she broke the law.
"I know I made a mistake. I went to court, paid my fines and admit my part," she said.
However, Fullerton has filed a complaint of misconduct against Melanson. She will not divulge its contents, saying only that she believes Melanson "made a mistake" in how he treated her.
"I don't think he's a menace to the city or anything, and I don't want him to get suspended or fired," Fullerton said. "I just asked that he get a written warning."
Police refused The Haverhill Gazette's request for a copy of Fullerton's complaint.
Fullerton said she has been interviewed by someone from the police department in connection with her complaint, but she declined to identify the person.
"It's between me and the police department," she said.
Here is how police describe the incident: "Melanson observed (Fullerton) drinking from a bottle in a paper bag. She was walking up the driveway. Melanson identified himself and Officer Gioia and asked (Fullerton) to give him the bottle. (Fullerton) yelled at the officers and swore at them demanding to see some identification. Officer Gioia had his badge on his waist. Melanson had his around his neck. They both showed (Fullerton) their badges. (Fullerton) kept yelling at the officers and attempted to go inside to the party with the bottle. Melanson grabbed the bottle and observed it to be a bottle of Smirnoff Raspberry Vodka. (Fullerton) then became more boisterous and continued to yell and swear at the officers. A group started to gather around the officers listening to (Fullerton) yell and swear. Melanson then placed (Fullerton) under arrest. She was placed in the cruiser."
But a Welfare Records patron visiting from England said that's not how it happened.
Joe Burman, a doctoral student in English studies visiting from England, described the arrest in a letter to The Haverhill Gazette, police Chief Alan DeNaro and Mayor James Fiorentini.
"I am alarmed at the conduct of at least two police officers at a music venue at (Welfare Records)," he said, describing it as "aggressive and impolite."
Burman said the behavior of the officers, whom he did not name, was "not an attempt to uphold the law, but rather to cause aggravation and to antagonize an otherwise peaceful and lawful event."
Burman said officers handcuffed Fullerton and "pulled her about and dragged her violently up onto the sidewalk," causing bruises and cuts on her arms. Burman said Fullerton was told she was also being arrested for swearing at the officers.
"This plainly was not the case. (Fullerton), in a question and calm tone of voice, said 'Why the (profanity) am I being arrested?' While (she) clearly used a profanity, it was directed at the situation not the police officers," Burman said.
Burman said that after Fullerton was arrested, he requested the badge numbers of the officers involved. Burman said neither officer wore a badge or uniform. Burman said he was shouted at and told to "get lost" or he would be arrested, too.
One of the officers accused him of interfering and referred to him as "English man," in what he regarded as a derogatory tone, Burman said. "To me this verges on a racist remark and I was extremely upset by this," Burman said.
Fullerton declined comment on the details of her arrest. The most important thing, she said, is that Welfare Records be able to resume live performances.
"A lot of people go there from other states and other countries. They rent hotels and go to restaurants. The city should help them," she said of the store's owners. "Maybe the police could work with them."
Records from Haverhill District Court show she paid $250 in fines and restitution, and as a result the charges against her will be dismissed.
Police did not respond to requests for information about whether there is an investigation being conducted into Fullerton's complaint.
