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Santa Cruz Indymedia
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Global Justice & Anti-Capitalism
Government & Elections
Police State & Prisons
The 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.
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
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
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speechless.
its up to the media to reveal the disgusting behavior of st. paul law enforcement and its so good to see someone showing what really happened.
mmm freedom
mmm freedom
While I am sure that there were unwarrented arrests, I am also sure that the mass majority of them were. You should have been on MY bus that attempted to make its way to the convention center as it was pelted with whatever the protesters were throwing; people yelling obscenities; blocking the street, etc etc. There were CHILDREN on my bus that had to witness this. Some of the protesters were peaceful and did nothing to get arrested and I am glad that they are able to speak their minds and dismayed that some were arrested for this, however, behaving like a bunch of rabid animals is NOT the best way to get your point across. As I walked through the streets of the city, I was often confronted by angry protesters, and I simply stopped and listened to them, as this is what they ultimately wanted. However, I will say it again, yelling, throwing things, breaking the windows of businesses for no apparent reason, throwing bleach at people, harrassing innocent people... this is not the way you get heard. This is how you encourage the stigma and stereotype of "violent" protesters.
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