Preemptive Raids on Protesters at RNC? Could someone explain what's going on?

[democrat2thecore]

I've been getting reports in my RSS feeds from several organizations that preemptive raids are being carried out on people planning protests at the RNC.

Is anybody from the Twin Cities on the board that can tell us what the HELL is going on? The raids are being conducted by the St. Paul Police Department.

Any information would be helpful - especially from on the scene in Minnesota.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Greenwald and Digby have been on it...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/31/raids/index.html

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/30/police_raids/index.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/tase-r-nation-by-digby-if-youre-not.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/proud-to-be-american-by-dday-despite.html

[democrat2thecore]

6. Thank you! This is SHOCKING!

[Muttocracy]

2. there are several threads in the video forum

Amy Goodman in one of them, so I'm betting Democracy Now will cover it a lot.

Ramsey County (includes St. Paul) Sheriff's Dept. too

[Junkdrawer]

3. Glenn Greenwald at Salon: Federal government involved in raids on protesters

As the police attacks on protesters in Minnesota continue -- see this video of the police swarming a bus transporting members of Earth Justice, seizing the bus and leaving the group members stranded on the side of the highway -- it appears increasingly clear that it is the Federal Government that is directing this intimidation campaign. Minnesota Public Radio reported yesterday that "the searches were led by the Ramsey County Sheriff's office. Deputies coordinated searches with the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Today's Star Tribune added that the raids were specifically "aided by informants planted in protest groups." Back in May, Marcy Wheeler presciently noted that the Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force -- an inter-agency group of federal, state and local law enforcement led by the FBI -- was actively recruiting Minneapolis residents to serve as plants, to infiltrate "vegan groups" and other left-wing activist groups and report back to the Task Force about what they were doing. There seems to be little doubt that it was this domestic spying by the Federal Government that led to the excessive and truly despicable home assaults by the police yesterday.

So here we have a massive assault led by Federal Government law enforcement agencies on left-wing dissidents and protesters who have committed no acts of violence or illegality whatsoever, preceded by months-long espionage efforts to track what they do. And as extraordinary as that conduct is, more extraordinary is the fact that they have received virtually no attention from the national media and little outcry from anyone. And it's not difficult to see why. As the recent "overhaul" of the 30-year-old FISA law illustrated -- preceded by the endless expansion of surveillance state powers, justified first by the War on Drugs and then the War on Terror -- we've essentially decided that we want our Government to spy on us without limits. There is literally no police power that the state can exercise that will cause much protest from the political and media class and, therefore, from the citizenry.

Beyond that, there is a widespread sense that the targets of these raids deserve what they get, even if nothing they've done is remotely illegal. We love to proclaim how much we cherish our "freedoms" in the abstract, but we despise those who actually exercise them. The Constitution, right in the very First Amendment, protects free speech and free assembly precisely because those liberties are central to a healthy republic -- but we've decided that anyone who would actually express truly dissident views or do anything other than sit meekly and quietly in their homes are dirty trouble-makers up to no good, and it's therefore probably for the best if our Government keeps them in check, spies on them, even gets a little rough with them.

....

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/index.html

[democrat2thecore]

11. WOW - just WOW - and look how little interest at DU - unbelievable. -nt

[OwnedByFerrets]

4. Intimidation at its worst.

[democrat2thecore]

5. This is happening in AMERICA? Where's the outrage? Where is our new FIGHTING leadership?

Is Palin's babygate really more important than protests being planned (since when is that illegal?) being intimidated and raided, buses confiscated, etc?

Our party should speak out at the highest levels -- if we stand for anything anymore.

If not, our problems are worse than any election. If our party leaders can't speak out against this gross violation of constitutional rights - how can we trust them with anything else? Here's a chance to let the rubber meet the road and let the rhetoric and actions match up with reality with abuses happening right now!

[democrat2thecore]

7. Hello????? Does ANYBODY CARE what's happening in St. Paul?

All the threads on Sarah Palin's personal life, her baby, pictures from when she was a teenager - while police state tactics are being used in the city of St. Paul? Have we completely LOST IT?

[BlooInBloo]

8. DUers are largely "The View" type of demographic. It's hard to get them away from babygate.

[democrat2thecore]

10. Obviously you are right - very sad. -nt

[democrat2thecore]

9. Forget it - logging off. DU has become a digital TABLOID while the police state is running rampant!

I'll come back when saner heads have prevailed.

[MasonJar]

12. Preemptive raids! How very Republican!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kdillard]

13. Of course people care but instead of insults why don't you

recommend something they can actually do to help the situation is there a number to call, person to contact, petition available?