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RNC Day 1: Category (A) Hurricane Hits Downtown St. Paul
IMC-US, 02.09.2008
I'm blogging now from what can only be called “The Occupied Twin Cities”. As the Minnesota National Guard marches through the streets of downtown St. Paul tonight in a display reminiscent of the old Soviet May Day parades, those who made it past the mass arrests of the day try to find a place to rest their weary heads and scrub the pepper spray off.... read more
The first day of the Republican National Convention opened in a scaled back version, ostensibly out of respect for the anticipated sufferings in the Gulf Coast Region. However, other factors seemed to have been in play. Outside the convention hall, protests against the Republican agenda overtook downtown St. Paul. First there was the “authorized parade route”, which drew an estimated ten thousand protesters and was for the most part just another peace parade. However, off the parade route and throughout the downtown area of St. Paul a very different kind of protest erupted. The sector tactic of “swarm, seize, stay” protest was meet with extreme police violence. There are reports of beatings, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets being used on unarmed demonstrators, the arrest of legal observers, medics and journalists including Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! (video) and mass arrests which included children and the elderly.
Latest reports are that close to 300 arrests have been made, and that some arrestees being held without bail or hearing. Police have sealed off a 4 block zone around the convention hall and are blocking entrance and exit to entire regions of the city. Police also stormed a peaceful outdoor concert at Harriet Park and detained an estimate 200 people. No explanation has been given for this police action. There are also reports of arrests of Code Pink Women for Peace members who took part in civil disobedience actions against the war. [for more media click Read More]
The first day of the Republican National Convention opened in a scaled back version, ostensibly out of respect for the anticipated sufferings in the Gulf Coast Region. However, other factors seemed to have been in play. Outside the convention hall, protests against the Republican agenda overtook downtown St. Paul. First there was the “authorized parade route”, which drew an estimated ten thousand protesters and was for the most part just another peace parade. However, off the parade route and throughout the downtown area of St. Paul a very different kind of protest erupted. The sector tactic of “swarm, seize, stay” protest was meet with extreme police violence. There are reports of beatings, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets being used on unarmed demonstrators, the arrest of legal observers, medics and journalists including Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! (video) and mass arrests which included children and the elderly.
Latest reports are that close to 300 arrests have been made, and that some arrestees being held without bail or hearing. Police have sealed off a 4 block zone around the convention hall and are blocking entrance and exit to entire regions of the city. Police also stormed a peaceful outdoor concert at Harriet Park and detained an estimate 200 people. No explanation has been given for this police action. There are also reports of arrests of Code Pink Women for Peace members who took part in civil disobedience actions against the war. [for more media click Read More]
Today's events follow several days of house raids and arrests of activists and independent journalists in what amounts to a suspension of civil rights in the city. Personal items cameras, computers and equipment belonging independent media workers, has been confiscated.
More protests are planned for Tuesday including a 9am press conference at the The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign's "Bushville" encampment. Latest news from St. Paul: News round up from Twin Cities Indymedia | Statement from RNC Welcoming Committee | Aftermath report from legal observers
PHOTOS: The Battle of Saint Paul: A Photo Essay by Mike & James (NYC Indymedia) | Monday's March Against the War and RNC part 1 | part 2 by Pero, Chicago Indymedia | Permitted Dissent in the Streets of St. Paul, part 1 | part 2 by ~bradley