Democracy Now's Amy Goodman arrested at RNC

tiger_blurp

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/352466/amy_goodman_others_detained_outside_rncb,121b,121Amy Goodman, Others Detained Outside RNC[/b]b,121b,121Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was among 284 people detained outside the Republican National Convention here as police clashed with demonstrators on the streets of St. Paul.b,121b,121Goodman was arrested near the XCel Center, where the convention opened Monday, at approximately 5 p.m. Minnesota time.b,121b,121According to a statement issued Dennis Moynihan and Mike Burke of Democracy Now!:b,121b,121"Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.b,121b,121"Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul."b,121b,121I was with Goodman earlier Monday afternoon, as she was reporting on the major anti-war demonstration. She and her crew were, as always, interviewing everyone they could in the calm, assured manner that has made the daily Democracy Now! program a widely-watched and well-regarded news programs on radio and cable television stations across the country.b,121b,121Moynihan and Burke, in their statement, say that:b,121b,121"Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists."b,121b,121They are urging journalists and concerned citizens to contact the office of St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman (651-266-8535) and the Ramsey County Jail (651-266-9350) and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar.b,121b,121The calls are important.b,121b,121The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Lawyers Guild are also on the case.b,121b,121

Duderonomy

b,121"Suspicion of rioting" - I like that. Surely you either riot, or you don't. There's not much inbetween the two is there?

bull_ox

FYI, it looks like all 3 were released last night...

Thermos

Quote:h,121b,121b,121"Suspicion of rioting" - I like that. Surely you either riot, or you don't. There's not much inbetween the two is there? b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121With that kind of healthy skepticism, you may commit a crime sometime in the future. I'm calling the police to run over and pre-emptively arrest your ass at gunpoint right now.

Birdman9

Quote:h,121b,121http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/352466/amy_goodman_others_detained_outside_rncb,121b,121Amy Goodman, Others Detained Outside RNC[/b]b,121b,121Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was among 284 people detained outside the Republican National Convention here as police clashed with demonstrators on the streets of St. Paul.b,121b,121Goodman was arrested near the XCel Center, where the convention opened Monday, at approximately 5 p.m. Minnesota time.b,121b,121According to a statement issued Dennis Moynihan and Mike Burke of Democracy Now!:b,121b,121"Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.b,121b,121"Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul."b,121b,121I was with Goodman earlier Monday afternoon, as she was reporting on the major anti-war demonstration. She and her crew were, as always, interviewing everyone they could in the calm, assured manner that has made the daily Democracy Now! program a widely-watched and well-regarded news programs on radio and cable television stations across the country.b,121b,121Moynihan and Burke, in their statement, say that:b,121b,121"Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists."b,121b,121They are urging journalists and concerned citizens to contact the office of St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman (651-266-8535) and the Ramsey County Jail (651-266-9350) and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar.b,121b,121The calls are important.b,121b,121The American Civil Liberties Union and the National Lawyers Guild are also on the case.b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121Bob Fletcher is a facist pig. That asshole just walked into our house one day back when I lived in St Paul, knocked once and walked in (my stupid roommate had left the door open, middle of the day-related). He then threatened my roommate that he could have us all arrested on suspicion of drug activity because there was all kinds of traffic in and out at all hours. There were four of us either in college or recently graduated who worked early mornings or night shifts. What the hell were we supposed to do? I think some dick neighbor was a friend of his and he put him up to putting a scare into us. We were a bit loud, but not dealing drugs.

Swayze

b,121b,121b,121

mannybolone

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121That photo is pretty amazing given the severity of the architecture behind it.

Swayze

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121That photo is pretty amazing given the severity of the architecture behind it. b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121Reminds me of The Wall (the movie) for some reason. Or Moonwalker. lol

jaysus

Saint Paul is dope, y'all should come visit. Bring your swim goggles and bandanas.

Guantanamo_Jones

this shit is crazy. mad chaos broke loose downtown STP. Several friends of mine were arrested for no reason as they were trying to make their way to the concert on harriet island and meet up with me. They were tossed in jail despite the fact that they were no where near the little anarchist kids causing trouble and had tickets for the show. shits fucked up. A friend of mine I work with was doing reporting for indymedia and a local college newspaper. he said he was going to send me pictures he was taking. I will poast them as soon as he sends them to me.b,121b,121I knew the shit was going to hit the fan when the local cops raided several houses in mpls and and stp where there were "suspected protesters" The even raided the food not bombs house which is a charity and boarded it up.b,121b,121I think and hope that this is going to turn out to be a very NAGLE for the RNC.b,121b,121b,121Mos Def's set was dope tho.

edith head

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121That photo is pretty amazing given the severity of the architecture behind it. b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121i agree. this photo is so orwell. b,121b,121check out the lone dude on the hill with his arms crossed like "don't Fusk with me." it's almost too much

funky16corners

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121This looks like a still from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes...

CousinLarry

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121This looks like a still from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes... b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121It looks like a photoshop hack job.

jaysus

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121This looks like a still from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes... b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121It looks like a photoshop hack job. b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121Unfortunately, that is a very real picture of our city right now. The Xcel center is right behind them and they are down on a walkway by the river where sit ins are taking place. Lots of tear gas, smoke bombs, rubber bullets, etc.

CousinLarry

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121This looks like a still from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes... b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121It looks like a photoshop hack job. b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121Unfortunately, that is a very real picture of our city right now. The Xcel center is right behind them and they are down on a walkway by the river where sit ins are taking place. Lots of tear gas, smoke bombs, rubber bullets, etc. b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121b,121It isn't that I don't believe there are a bunch of asshole riot cops out there, that picture just looks off to me. I just looked at a few others online though and sadly this seems to be real.

day

mannybolone

Wasn't this scene in Children of Men somewhere?

mrmatthew

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121b,121b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121This is what Downtown Denver looked like all of last week. Even when there was no imminent threat of rioting, police presence was super heavy. Literally, on every single corner of the city.

Duderonomy

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121So you've got your Emmanuel Goldstein, your two minutes hate and here's the boot crushing faces into the dirt. Global warming's so hot right now.

kala

its nice to know the pigs are protecting our "freedom"b,121b,121so they roll out ghouliani and kept bush and cheney away b,121lieberman did the key note speechb,121all of this is pointing to serious desperationb,121what a bunch of skkkumbagsb,121b,121oh yeah they have been invading homes without warrants for conspiracy to commit riotb,121b,121b,121b,121b,121b,121In the months leading up to the Republican National Convention, the FBI-led Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force actively recruited people to infiltrate vegan groups and other leftist organizations and report back about their activities. On May 21, the Minneapolis City Pages ran a recruiting story called "Moles Wanted." Law enforcement sought to preempt lawful protest against the policies of the Bush administration during the convention.b,121b,121Since Friday, local police and sheriffs, working with the FBI, conducted preemptive searches, seizures and arrests. Glenn Greenwald described the targeting of protestors by "teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets." Journalists were detained at gunpoint and lawyers representing detainees were handcuffed at the scene.b,121b,121"I was personally present and saw officers with riot gear and assault rifles, pump action shotguns," said Bruce Nestor, the President of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, who is representing several of the protestors. "The neighbor of one of the houses had a gun pointed in her face when she walked out on her back porch to see what was going on. There were children in all of these houses, and children were held at gunpoint."b,121b,121The raids targeted members of "Food Not Bombs," an anti-war, anti-authoritarian protest group that provides free vegetarian meals every week in hundreds of cities all over the world. They served meals to rescue workers at the World Trade Center after 9/11 and to nearly 20 communities in the Gulf region following Hurricane Katrina.b,121b,121Also targeted were members of I-Witness Video, a media watchdog group that monitors the police to protect civil liberties. The group worked with the National Lawyers Guild to gain the dismissal of charges or acquittals of about 400 of the 1,800 who were arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. Preemptive policing was used at that time as well. Police infiltrated protest groups in advance of the convention.b,121b,121Nestor said that no violence or illegality has taken place to justify the arrests. "Seizing boxes of political literature shows the motive of these raids was political," he said.b,121b,121Further evidence the political nature of the police action was the boarding up of the Convergence Center, where protestors had gathered, for unspecified code violations. St. Paul City Council member David Thune said, "Normally we only board up buildings that are vacant and ramshackle." Thune and fellow City Council member Elizabeth Glidden decried "actions that appear excessive and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation for those who wish to exercise their first amendment rights."b,121b,121"So here we have a massive assault led by Federal Government law enforcement agencies on left-wing dissidents and protestors who have committed no acts of violence or illegality whatsoever, preceded by months-long espionage efforts to track what they do," Greenwald wrote on Salon.b,121b,121Preventive detention violates the Fourth Amendment, which requires that warrants be supported by probable cause. Protestors were charged with "conspiracy to commit riot," a rarely-used statute that is so vague, it is probably unconstitutional. Nestor said it "basically criminalizes political advocacy."b,121b,121On Sunday, the National Lawyers Guild and Communities United Against Police Brutality filed an emergency motion requesting an injunction to prevent police from seizing video equipment and cellular phones used to document their conduct.b,121b,121During Monday's demonstration, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. At least 284 people were arrested, including Amy Goodman, the prominent host of Democracy Now!, as well as the show's producers, Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. "St. Paul was the most militarized I have ever seen an American city to be," Greenwald wrote, "with troops of federal, state and local law enforcement agents marching around with riot gear, machine guns, and tear gas cannisters, shouting military chants and marching in military formations."b,121b,121Bruce Nestor said the timing of the arrests was intended to stop protest activity, "to make people fearful of the protests, but also to discourage people from protesting," he told Amy Goodman. Nevertheless, 10,000 people, many opposed to the Iraq war, turned out to demonstrate on Monday. A legal team from the National Lawyers Guild has been working diligently to protect the constitutional rights of protestors.b,121b,121b,121Marjorie Cohn is president of the National Lawyers Guild and a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She is author of Cowboy Republic. Her articles are archived at www.marjoriecohn.com/a1

tripledouble

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121LOL "we need to get this bike back by 7."b,121b,121the power of state authority to stifle dissent is worth pondering

ZEN2

I was at the RNC in 2000, and sadly it appears state oppression of free speech has gotten worse.b,121b,121I witnessed appalling conduct by law enforcement, including unprovoked assault on non-violent protesters, some practicing civil disobedience, others just walking down the street.b,121b,121I was personally attacked by a group of cops in riot gear simply for attempting to cross the street. I'm sure the fact I was holding a bull horn didn't help.. but they really tried to Fusk me up. Fortunately I deflected a baton blow aimed at my head by holding up the bull horn in defense.. sending it shattering into a million pieces on the street.b,121b,121Shit is no joke. They will Fusk you up just to do it.

Guantanamo_Jones

Quote:h,121b,121

Quote:h,121b,121 b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121LOL "we need to get this bike back by 7."b,121b,121the power of state authority to stifle dissent is worth pondering b,121b,121h,121

b,121b,121Some of my friends were in that area where that video was shot. they were all just sitting in the grass and enjoying the concert when the swat rolled up. My co-workers 15 year old brother was hit with a concussion grenade. fusking pitiful. I think I might go into the heart of the beast thursday night.

street_muzik

Remeber this? Check 2:00b,121b,121