Mark Crispin Miller: Minneapolis Cops Run Amok - Jail Lockdown, Arrestees Refused Access To Lawyers

[Hissyspit]

Amy Goodman is just one of many who have been arrested.

Meanwhile, Chris Matthews is inside the hall, jabbering about "the game."

MCM


From Munich420:

A post on the Minnesota Independent has a link to ColdSnapLegal’s invaluable twitter, which shows a detailed breakdown of prior incidents involving police and protesters that have been happening throughout the day. The twitter shows a report of Democracy Now! journalists being arrested and includes Amy Goodman.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Amy-Goodman-Arrested-At-RN-by-Kevin-Gosztola-080901-693.html

Except from the above:

Journalists and medics along with protesters are being pepper sprayed and gassed as riot police show no respect for Americans' constitutional right to practice civic freedom.

Rubber bullets are being used on protesters.

Squad cars are driving into crowds and dispersing them.

Ramsey City Jail is on lockdown refusing arrestees or detainees access to lawyers and St. Joseph Hospital is on lockdown denying arrestees or detainees water.

Members of I-Witness Video, a group that, according to their website, "uses video to protect civil liberties" and "probe police actions at First Amendment events" have been victim of "preemptive video arrest."

A comment on a DailyKos post titled, "UPDATE: Rubber Bullets, Water Cannons, Pepper Spray, Tear Gas in St. Paul," explains how I-Witness is being put under house arrest and facing threats of seizure of their computers and video cameras because of their success in exposing police misconduct during the 2004 Republican National Convention.

[Junkdrawer]

1. And FoxNews is bragging about it...n/t

[malaise]

2. And M$M can't pause hurricane coverage to discuss this

violation of civil rights. What the fuck is going on?

[soulcore]

3. Fascist corporate media enablers.

We have been bought and sold, and from now on THIS is what happens when you speak out.

[mzmolly]

4. Many of the protestors were acting like idiots, but I'm sure Goodman

wasn't one of them.

[stillcool]

5. I saw they had lots of

different groups. I'm sure the preemptive raids/arrests before the Convention even started didn't help things any. I guess this is what happens when people have no rights.

[mzmolly]

7. I have to correct myself. The vast majority of those protesting were peaceful.They marched

and demonstrated in an adult manner. However the few that were not, give the police an excuse to over react IMHO.

MLK did not win favor with violence, he did so with peaceful protest.

I am opposed to the war, have been from the get go. I marched against the war before it began. But, I don't approve of smashing windows, throwing trash, grabbing things off peoples bodies, tossing chemicals at elderly people etc. which is what some of those protesting engaged in.

That kind of behavior is an embarrassment to the collective cause. I don't wish to be associated with people who assault 80 year old attendees of the RNC, KWIM?

[Generic Brad]

9. Hear, hear!

I could not have said it better myself.

[mzmolly]

12. Thanks Brad.

:hi:

[avaistheone1]

10. Remember the 60s and 70s and COINTELPRO the violence is often initiated by the police posing as

demonstrators. Remember the congressional Church Committee in the 1970s when all the dirt came out about how the FBI/CIA infiltrated peace groups and provoked violence.

History typically repeats itself. You trust this admin? I don't at all.

[mzmolly]

11. We agree

that it was not productive, regardless.

[Festivito]

6. Can you imagine a RICO suit against a city police department.

Or, an entire city.

It's like one big crime family.

[dflprincess]

8. One more time, it's ST. PAUL

I see from the quotes above that DailyKos apparently got it right.

The Ramsey County Sheriff is a real asshole of a Republican, I suppose what's happening shouldn't surprise us.

[Hissyspit]

14. Yeah, I should have changed that. Just reproduced what MCM had written.

I think I'm gonna just put RNC now, where there is any confusion. I previously posted about Sheriff Bob Fletcher, so I want to give credit where credit is due.

[phusion]

13. The police state

always gravitates towards large groups of republicans...We shouldn't be surprised.