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DESCRIPTION:[Politicians will have to answer for the abuse and detainment of 
 journalists, which spectacularly escalated on Thursday evening. 
 --TCIMC]\n\nFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 4, 2008\nContact: Nancy Doyle 
 Brown, Twin Cities Media Alliance, (612) 374-9380, Jen Howard, Free Press, 
 (202) 265-1490, x22 or (703) 517-6273\n\nST. PAUL, Minn. -- On Friday 
 morning, local advocates and independent journalists will deliver more than 
 50,000 petitions to St. Paul City Hall calling on Mayor Chris Coleman and 
 local law enforcement officials to drop all charges against journalists 
 arrested while covering protests outside the Republican National 
 Convention.\n\nWHAT: Delivery of 50,000 letters demanding charges against 
 journalists be dropped\nWHEN: Sept. 5, 10 a.m. CT\nWHERE: St. Paul City 
 Hall, 15 Kellogg Blvd.\nWHO: Local advocates and independent journalists 
 from KFAI Community Radio, National Lawyers Guild, Twin Cities Daily 
 Planet, Twin Cities IndyMedia, Twin Cities Media Alliance and The 
 Uptake.\n\nOn Monday, local law enforcement officials arrested Democracy 
 Now! host Amy Goodman and two producers from her show, Associated Press 
 photographer Matt Rourke and several independent videographers while they 
 were covering protests outside the Republican National Convention. Other 
 independent journalists have also been pepper-sprayed and even held at 
 gunpoint during "pre-emptive" raids aimed at disrupting protesters.\n\n"The 
 targeting and harassment of journalists that we've seen during the RNC 
 sends the message that the Twin Cities don't value the essential role that 
 journalists play in a democracy," said Nancy Doyle Brown of Twin Cities 
 Media Alliance. "From the pre-convention raids to the ongoing harassment 
 and arrests of journalists, these have been dark days for press freedom in 
 the United States. We're bringing Mayor Coleman more than 50,000 letters 
 from people across the nation demanding that all charges pending against 
 these journalists be dropped."\n\nFollowing the arrests, Free Press, the 
 national media reform organization, circulated a petition demanding that 
 Mayor Coleman and local authorities immediately "free all detained 
 journalists and drop all charges against them" -- garnering more than 
 50,000 signatures nationwide in less than two days. Their call has been 
 echoed by groups including the Society for Professional Journalists, the 
 Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Reporters Without Borders, 
 National Association of Black Journalists, and the National Association of 
 Hispanic Journalists.\n\nWatch the video of Goodman's arrest: 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ\n\nWatch other journalists being 
 arrested, as recorded by The UpTake: http://theuptake.org/\n\n###\n\nFree 
 Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. 
 Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and 
 independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to 
 communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/05/18533270.php
SUMMARY:Delivery of 50,000 Letters Demanding St. Paul Drop Charges Against Journalists
LOCATION:St. Paul City Hall, 15 Kellogg Blvd.\nMinnesota
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/09/05/18533270.php
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