Police Aggressors Attack Protestors Who Weren't Protesting

[Patroklos]

I am saying that as information comes out about these groups their arrests may in fact be justified. The horrendous behavior of the protestors thus far justify the caution. If nothing comes out over the next few days then I will cry foul.

In other words, I have a reasonable position based on what we know vice what I want to be the truth.

[Theben]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Seeing as I opened the thread in the first place I obviously didn't ignore anything, I simply didn't comment on it. Sensationalist media reporting is a well know pet peeve of mine, it should not surprise you that I pointed out this text book example.

So now that this has been cleared up for you, you can happily retract your baseless personal attacks

Bah. After re-reading your initial post I will... say... *(^@#^*@#(!^*&^(@!#@! that BASED ON PAST DEALINGS WITH YOU AND YOUR POLITICAL ILK I may have leapt to an unsubstantiated conclusion that you hadn't made... yet.

And I didn't know it was a peeve of yours. Actually it's a peeve of mine also, but not so much.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DinoDoc

These people seem to be the type being arrested. I do feel sorry for the organizers though. It's sad that thier efforts are being sidelined by a small core of people who just want to cause violence.

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I honestly don't know how many people have been arrested just that the paddy wagons are full so at the very least we can say hundreds.

[Theben]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
They wouldn't happen to be affiliated with these people, would they?

Apparently they are: http://www.boston.com/news/politics/..._anarchis.html

After looking thru both links I found nothing indicating the protestors had done anything, aside from "clash with police". I did note that the police "used pepper spray" and "chased down" protestors, so if anything it seems the police are the ones (again) out of line.

[Patroklos]

Was there a special concentration camp erected from them like in Denver?

[Dinner]

A very peaceful anti war protest where the protesters had a license for the protest to go all the way to the street in front of the convention in order to deliver their petition to the front doors of the convention. It was completely peaceful and nonviolent but police blocked their path preventing them from following the route authorized by their city permit. This is from Fox News for god's sake though a local affiliate which might explain the relative fairness of the article as opposed to the crap coming out of the national organization.

The arrested included a 78 year old nun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBJoKuxz-Qw

[Felch]

This is why anybody who trusts the government to protect your rights is a fool. Most police are just overgrown bullies.

Only firepower will guarantee your freedom.

[rmsharpe]

How many of you are actually in St. Paul?

[chequita guevara]

In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 alleged leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee with Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, and Max Spector, face up to 7 1/2 years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge which allows for a 50% increase in the maximum penalty.

Affidavits released by law enforcement which were filed in support of the search warrants used in raids over the weekend, and used to support probable cause for the arrest warrants, are based on paid, confidential informants who infiltrated the RNCWC on behalf of law enforcement. They allege that members of the group sought to kidnap delegates to the RNC, assault police officers with firebombs and explosives, and sabotage airports in St. Paul. Evidence released to date does not corroborate these allegations with physical evidence or provide any other evidence for these allegations than the claims of the informants. Based on past abuses of such informants by law enforcement, the National Lawyers Guild is concerned that such police informants have incentives to lie and exaggerate threats of violence and to also act as provacateurs in raising and urging support for acts of violence.

"These charges are an effort to equate publicly stated plans to blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place the stated political views of the Defendants on trial," said Bruce Nestor, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. "The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience, he said."

The criminal complaints filed by the Ramsey County Attorney do not allege that any of the defendants personally have engaged in any act of violence or damage to property. The complaints list all of alleged violations of law during the last few days of the RNC - other than violations of human rights carried out by law enforcement - and seeks to hold the 8 defendants responsible for acts committed by other individuals. None of the defendants have any prior criminal history involving acts of violence. Searches conducted in connection with the raids failed to turn up any physical evidence to support the allegations of organized attacks on law enforcement. Although claiming probable cause to believe that gunpowder, acids, and assembled incendiary devices would be found, no such items were seized by police. As a result, police sought to claim that the seizure of common household items such as glass bottles, charcoal lighter, nails, a rusty machete, and two hatchets, supported the allegations of the confidential informants. "Police found what they claim was a single plastic shield, a rusty machete, and two hatchets used in Minnesota to split wood. This doesn't amount to evidence of an organized insurrection, particularly when over 3,500 police are present in the Twin Cities, armed with assault rifles, concussion grenades, chemical weapons and full riot gear," said Nestor. In addition, the National Lawyers Guild has previously pointed out how law enforcement has fabricated evidence such as the claims that urine was seized which demonstrators intended to throw at police.

The last time such charges were brought under Minnesota law was in 1918, when Matt Moilen and others organizing labor unions for the International Workers of the World on the Iron Range were charged with "criminal syndicalism." The convictions, based on allegations that workers had advocated or taught acts of violence, including acts only damaging to property, were upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court. In the light of history, these convictions are widely seen as unjust and a product of political trials. The National Lawyers Guild condemns the charges filed in this case against the above 8 defendants and urges the Ramsey County Attorney to drop all charges of conspiracy in this matter.

Bruce Nestor, President
Minnesota Chapter of National Lawyers Guild
3547 Cedar Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55407

[tinyp3nis]

Look che, years of watching hollywood movies and other american television has revealed to me the ultimate truth. Clearly the good guys are the President, CIA, FBI, the police and the military and cartoon heroes, the news and sometimes God. There are some bad apples but nothing that roundhouse kick to the face doesn't fix. These police haven't been kicked in the face by God, Superman or Bruce Willis so clearly they are the good guys. The bad guys are the ones who oppose good guys, and plot their evil plots. Amy Goodman looks kind of like a witch, you know what a level 50 meteor could have done if she had not been caught in time?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Comrade Snuggles
In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 alleged leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee with Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, and Max Spector, face up to 7 1/2 years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge which allows for a 50% increase in the maximum penalty.

Affidavits released by law enforcement which were filed in support of the search warrants used in raids over the weekend, and used to support probable cause for the arrest warrants, are based on paid, confidential informants who infiltrated the RNCWC on behalf of law enforcement. They allege that members of the group sought to kidnap delegates to the RNC, assault police officers with firebombs and explosives, and sabotage airports in St. Paul. Evidence released to date does not corroborate these allegations with physical evidence or provide any other evidence for these allegations than the claims of the informants. Based on past abuses of such informants by law enforcement, the National Lawyers Guild is concerned that such police informants have incentives to lie and exaggerate threats of violence and to also act as provacateurs in raising and urging support for acts of violence.

"These charges are an effort to equate publicly stated plans to blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place the stated political views of the Defendants on trial," said Bruce Nestor, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. "The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience, he said."

The criminal complaints filed by the Ramsey County Attorney do not allege that any of the defendants personally have engaged in any act of violence or damage to property. The complaints list all of alleged violations of law during the last few days of the RNC - other than violations of human rights carried out by law enforcement - and seeks to hold the 8 defendants responsible for acts committed by other individuals. None of the defendants have any prior criminal history involving acts of violence. Searches conducted in connection with the raids failed to turn up any physical evidence to support the allegations of organized attacks on law enforcement. Although claiming probable cause to believe that gunpowder, acids, and assembled incendiary devices would be found, no such items were seized by police. As a result, police sought to claim that the seizure of common household items such as glass bottles, charcoal lighter, nails, a rusty machete, and two hatchets, supported the allegations of the confidential informants. "Police found what they claim was a single plastic shield, a rusty machete, and two hatchets used in Minnesota to split wood. This doesn't amount to evidence of an organized insurrection, particularly when over 3,500 police are present in the Twin Cities, armed with assault rifles, concussion grenades, chemical weapons and full riot gear," said Nestor. In addition, the National Lawyers Guild has previously pointed out how law enforcement has fabricated evidence such as the claims that urine was seized which demonstrators intended to throw at police.

The last time such charges were brought under Minnesota law was in 1918, when Matt Moilen and others organizing labor unions for the International Workers of the World on the Iron Range were charged with "criminal syndicalism." The convictions, based on allegations that workers had advocated or taught acts of violence, including acts only damaging to property, were upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court. In the light of history, these convictions are widely seen as unjust and a product of political trials. The National Lawyers Guild condemns the charges filed in this case against the above 8 defendants and urges the Ramsey County Attorney to drop all charges of conspiracy in this matter.

Bruce Nestor, President
Minnesota Chapter of National Lawyers Guild
3547 Cedar Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55407

Thanks for the update. What else can you say? More people ****ed by the system.

[Kidlicious]

Frontline is showing the video of Amy Goodman being arrested. Good for them. You can see it at pbs.org. Unbelievable. She was trying to tell them that she was a journalist and that they had her producer in custody, and they arrested her. The charges still stand.

[Guynemer]

That video is... troubling. To say the least.

[chequita guevara]

It's about to get more troubling.

[Ecthy]

A militia? I supposed they would have discovered bronze working by now and get some phalanxes!