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Santa Cruz Indymedia | U.S. | Global Justice and Anti-Capitalism | Government & Elections | Police State and PrisonsThe Police State Flexes It's Muscle in St. Paul During the RNC
Decentralized, unpermitted protests took place throughout the streets of downtown St. Paul, Minnesota on September 1st to mark the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC). Following the permitted demonstration organized by The Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, various items were pulled into the streets, some corporations had their windows broken, and people danced without permission. There were mass arrests by the police who deployed a wide range of weaponry, including concussion grenades, tear gas, pepper spray, batons, charging horses and hard rubber bullets.  riot-cops_9-1-08.jpg The RNC Welcoming Committee, an anarchist / anti-authoritarian organizing body that worked for over a year preparing for the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, wrote a statement about the events that unfolded on September 1st.
You can read the full press statement at: 9.2 - Press Statement from The WC http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/02/18532398.php Here is an excerpt, "The actions taken yesterday prove that the [government's] tactics of intimidation, harassment, violent oppression, the snatching of specific individuals, and the profiling of activists will not stop committed people from taking to the streets for what they believe in and putting their bodies behind those convictions. These tactics were seen in the targeting of medical workers, journalists, legal observers, and the public. They are the same tactics used daily by police and governments around the world to terrorize and oppress those that they claim to serve. "The infrastructure that has been created for these actions with the help and support of the twin cities community has been amazing. 100’s of people in Minneapolis and St. Paul have opened their homes to 1000’s of protesters. Locals and [out of town guests] have taken time off work and from their lives to cook meals, provide medical care, legal support, and transportation. We understand that it must be intimidating to see people organizing for themselves around the idea of mutual aid and solidarity, but in doing this we are actively creating the world we want to live in. This is work that we will continue to do for the rest of our lives." -- For more photos and information, please see: Unpermitted Dissent in the Streets of St. Paul http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/02/18532400.php Resistance in the Streets of St. Paul Despite On-going Police Violence http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/30/18531223.php Twin Cities Indymedia http://twincities.indymedia.org  gulf-coast_9-1-08.jpg Catching the news while taking refuge from fascist riot cops inside a bar
Radical Response to Hurricane Gustav and the RNC: From TC Indymedia and the Indymedia network http://tc.indymedia.org/2008/sep/radical-response-hurricane-gustav-and-rnc-tc-indymedia-and-indymedia-network Katrina & Gustav : On Remembrances and Anniversaries: Tears for the Gulf Coast & Immediate Concerns http://houston.indymedia.org/archives/archive_by_id.php?id=1101&category_id=1 Understanding the developing Braithewaite situation http://neworleans.indymedia.org/news/2008/09/12986.php  cuffed-left_9-1-08.jpg These folks were put in plastic hand cuffs (zip ties) and then left face down in the street.
Neither the cop from Tucson, AZ nor the woman in the white shirt (not sure what her role was) knew why the two people were cuffed and left by other police.  jackson-7th_9-1-08.jpg Amy Goodman Manhandled, Arrested for Protesting Arrest of News Staff
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/02/18532012.php  mass-arrest_9-1-08.jpg Amy Goodman Manhandled, Arrested for Protesting Arrest of News Staff
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/02/18532012.php  media-released_9-1-08.jpg Steve, a journalist with the Carbondale Times, was arrested at Jackson and 7th along with so many other people that did absolutely nothing wrong. Reporters for Indymedia and Democracy Now! were arrested with charges pending, however Steve was released from the mass arrest after saying he was a journalist and showing three forms of identification.
 police-photographer1_9-1-... I watched this person exit the driver's seat of the unmarked police SUV pictured above and below.
I asked him if he was a police photographer and he replied, "I am for today."  police-photographer2_9-1-... I wonder where else this person has been taking photos.
"Can you relate? We livin' in a police state." -Dead Prez  temperance_9-1-08.jpg  secret-service_9-1-08.jpg This guy from the Secret Service forced people to stand behind the double yellow lines on Temperance St.
 ramsey-sheriff_9-1-08.jpg Right after we backed up to the double yellow lines, as requested by the Secret Service agent, this Ramsey County Sheriff forced us onto the sidewalk.
Later in the day, an officer from the Department of Natural Resources who was working security in St. Paul told me that there were hundreds of police agencies in the Twin Cities during the RNC. Since I arrived in the Twin Cities, the police state has been operating unconstitutionally and making up arbitrary rules. Miscommunication between police has been frequent and often puts people into very dangerous situations.  processing_9-1-08.jpg  sibley_9-1-08.jpg Watching the injustice in the parking lot across the street from the Sibley Court Apartments.
 7th-jackson_9-1-08.jpg  call-911_9-1-08.jpg I was talking with this cop and inquiring about the systematic violation of civil liberties that I was witnessing on the part of the police. His smirky response to me was, "Call 911"
 7th_9-1-08.jpg First Aid medics and other innocent people are cuffed and searched. The two folks against the wall and the same people that were face down in the street a hour earlier, pictured above in the photo called "Cuffed and Left"
 robert-7th_9-1-08.jpg More folks are cuffed and against a wall
 delegates-barricade_9-1-0...  closed-streets_9-1-08.jpg It was not easy walking around downtown St. Paul because so many streets were blocked off. Many locals were particularly angry when the police physically prevented them from getting to their homes.
 mn-national-guard_9-1-08.... Here is a link to the first portion of these photos:
Unpermitted Dissent in the Streets of St. Paul http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/02/18532400.php |
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