Preemptive Arrests at the RNC in St Paul

I attended a celebratory party along with some Code Pink members who greeted several peace advocates who walked from Chicago to St Paul. I have pics and video from that wonderful event, but I thought it was more important to post this story about preemptive arrests at the RNC in St Paul.

After the party ended for the peace walkers, several of us travelled to 627 Smith St in St Paul, the site of a police raid last night. A press conference was being held. Among the speakers at the press conference who denounced the police action were Coleen Rowley, the former FBI agent and whistle blower, and Ann Wright, a retired Army Colonel and former member of the State Department.

According to eye witnesses, the police entered the theater/community center and cuffed all of the adults’ hands behind their backs. Materials and computers were confiscated. The same thing has reportedly been happening in other places where out of town RNC protesters were staying. During the press conference, we heard that persons who had come to St Paul to document using video police abuse were also arrested today. If their equipment and crews are detained, that will increase the likelihood of police abuse during the protest marches. In NY City, at the last RNC, many persons who were arrested had their charges dropped after video refuted false police allegations.

My still pictures show a poster on how to deal with the police at the door of the community center (the theater); the front of the theater on Smith Street where the press conference was held; my little Flip video camera that I used to record the press conference; and Ann Wright and others waving the plastic handcuffs that were used to restrain persons in the house - not all the persons attending the press conference were present during the raid.

My videos of the press conference have a lot more detail as well as a call for action.

The first one provides background information by Lisa Fithian, a 30 year peace and social justice advocate. She wrote the intro to Abbie Hoffman’s monograph titled “Steal this Book.”

The second one contains speeches by Veterans for Peace activists Michael McPhearson and Ann Wright. Michael McPhearson is the executive director for Veterans for Peace. Ann Wright served as a colonel in the Army and as a diplomat for the US Government. She resigned from the State Department out of protest the day before the US attacked Iraq in 2003. Her resignation letter, which was posted on the internet contained the following reasons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Wright

• The decision to invade Iraq without the blessing of the U.N. Security Council
• The "lack of effort" in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process
• The "lack of policy" in regard to North Korea
The curtailment of civil liberties within the United States.

These arrests are about curtailment of civil liberties.

The next video presents the view of the father of one of the arrested persons.

Here is Coleen Rowley’s speech:

And this last one is a song by Tao Seeger, Pete Seeger’s grandson.

Comments

[Kat]

Where are mayors Rybek and Coleman? Have either of them said a word about the raids? Have they been asked? They need to rein in law enforcement. If they allow this to go on they will invite some real problems in the cities in the coming days.

It's as if the Minneapolis and St. Paul police are provoking citizens. This is a surefire way to lower the discourse.

[Slugbug]

Good job Kayakbiker! This is a travesty.

[sistersilverwolf]

Excellent coverage KB. FBI - Homeland Security - Local police? This is a scary bunch. Sounds more like China than America. Isn't this how Nazi Germany began? Have any political victims disappeared lately?

[doribell]

As strange as it sounds...yesterday when Lisa plugged her laptop in for power and picked up the wireless DSL some FBI thing came up on her screen. She and I wondered what it was never saw it before. Things that make you want to go hmmmm.

[KarenDC]

These people are friends and colleagues and I am getting quite concerned about them. Kayakbiker, please keep us informed about anything they may need. The VFP folks are amazing committed soldiers, and they truly work for peace. Their voices should be ringing loudly now, and we should all be listening harder.

[Craig]

This action appears unconstitutional to me. I guess that by the time they sort it out the protest opportunity may be over. Is anyone looking at the legal aspect of all this? Can we expect any legal action, or are we looking at the end of our right to speak out?

[Kelley Lynch]

I feel these pre-emptive raids were used to tamper with witnesses, influence jurors, and intimidate the general populus: in advance of any actions these "agencies" may be caught on camera engaging in. I have no idea if the FBI, Homeland Security, or other federal agencies were involved - but clearly the police were and it demands an investigation. It is a sad day when our country looks precisely like China - particularly after all the commotion with this year's Olympic ceremonies, Tibet, human rights violations, etc. Lawsuits will probably help cut these individuals off at the pass - as would losing their "badges." Their actions are incredibly aggressive and done in broad daylight. And, obviously they were coordinated in advance. So, that's pre-meditation and they have motive. Therefore, it's criminal and unconstitutional. This is clearly not only my opinion and this view should not only be shared by Democrats. It should be shared by Democrats and Americans and people that want to live peacefully - together.

Kelley Lynch

[Octoblogger]

The above is somehow being used to pimp an erectile dysfunction pill.