Uh, Spazmitter? They're dropping the charges. Dropping them. The reporters were just doing their job, and the city government is recognizing that by dropping the charges. The charges- they're dropped.

/did you really think the police were going to make the decisions in the moment about who was going to get charged and who wasn't?

I almost feel much safer. If those reporters hadn't been up to something, they wouldn't have been arrested. I can't believe they're letting them back out on the streets, though. Fear-mongering journalists are the terrorists of the West.

the mayor, who's in charge of the police, is a democrat i believe, and Ramsey county, where st. paul is, voted kerry 2-1 over bush in 2004 (from state election bureau figures).

so it was Republican intimidation of the press?

albo: the mayor, who's in charge of the police, is a democrat i believe, and Ramsey county, where st. paul is, voted kerry 2-1 over bush in 2004 (from state election bureau figures).

so it was Republican intimidation of the press?

I think suppression of free speech is bi-partisan these days. feeling any safer about the government nationalizing half the stock market this week?

all we need now is a good, solid terrorist attack somewhere close to home (sometime around mid-october would work) and we'll be able to scare people into giving government whatever controls they ask for.....

Weaver95: I think suppression of free speech is bi-partisan these days. feeling any safer about the government nationalizing half the stock market this week?

all we need now is a good, solid terrorist attack somewhere close to home (sometime around mid-october would work) and we'll be able to scare people into giving government whatever controls they ask for.....

And the best part is that with the price of gasoline, a molotov cocktail now costs more than an honest-to-goodness hand grenade.

Sir Roderick Glossop: They're dropping the charges.

Not in time to allow reporters to cover any stories, however.

Back in the days of well-organized editorial institutions, the canny editor would send in a dozen investigative reporters for every one arrested, to spend six weeks giving the city government a collective proctology exam.

albo:
so it was Republican intimidation of the press?Hey, don't let facts get in the way of a good cop bashing.

We should feel free to stage protests that have as their aim a transparent desire to interfere with someone else's lawful assembly. Freedom of speech means not only my freedom to interrupt you, but that you're not free to ignore me.

And if the police step in...I play the fascism card.
See how that works?

Sir Roderick Glossop: albo:
so it was Republican intimidation of the press?Hey, don't let facts get in the way of a good cop bashing.

We should feel free to stage protests that have as their aim a transparent desire to interfere with someone else's lawful assembly. Freedom of speech means not only my freedom to interrupt you, but that you're not free to ignore me.

And if the police step in...I play the fascism card.
See how that works?

so it is your belief that legitimate reporters asking questions constitute 'interfering with lawful assembly'? Remember - these were guys who were just doing their job. They were covering a valid news story...and they got tossed in jail DESPITE their credentials.

you scare me dude. Even while I don't always like the press, I wouldn't throw them in jail for doing their jobs.

abb3w: Not in time to allow reporters to cover any stories, however.

You didn't hear about the protests when they were going on?

some of those arrests made it to youtube.

When a cop is arresting someone (who knows if it was right or wrong) and you interfere with cameras in their face and your body knocking into them and freeing the arrestee, you are quite liable to get arrested after you get beaten.

just sayin....

/most cops should be shot on sight
//just after the reporters and lawyers

Sir Roderick Glossop: abb3w: Not in time to allow reporters to cover any stories, however.

You didn't hear about the protests when they were going on?

Actually - no. we got VERY little information about those protests....that was because the cops threw all the reporters into jail.

Weaver95: Actually - no. we got VERY little information about those protests....that was because the cops threw all the reporters into jail.

Well played. :)

Weaver95: albo: the mayor, who's in charge of the police, is a democrat i believe, and Ramsey county, where st. paul is, voted kerry 2-1 over bush in 2004 (from state election bureau figures).

so it was Republican intimidation of the press?

I think suppression of free speech is bi-partisan these days. feeling any safer about the government nationalizing half the stock market this week?

all we need now is a good, solid terrorist attack somewhere close to home (sometime around mid-october would work) and we'll be able to scare people into giving government whatever controls they ask for.....

As a St. Paulite, you sound like an idiot. The St. Paul mayor is on the far end of the leftist spectrum. This is a city where the Republicans have stopped fielding candidates.

Ultimately, this wasn't suppression of free speech. These were reporters who followed Black Bloc asshats away from the main protest where they proceeded to trash my city. Throwing rocks at businesses and police protecting those businesses is not free speech.

b2theory: These were reporters who followed Black Bloc asshats away from the main protest where they proceeded to trash my city. Throwing rocks at businesses and police protecting those businesses is not free speech.

What about the people who were swept up in the police actions who were just on their way to their cars after dining/shopping/going to a show.

/Yes, that happened.

Weaver95: Sir Roderick Glossop: albo:
so it was Republican intimidation of the press?Hey, don't let facts get in the way of a good cop bashing.

We should feel free to stage protests that have as their aim a transparent desire to interfere with someone else's lawful assembly. Freedom of speech means not only my freedom to interrupt you, but that you're not free to ignore me.

And if the police step in...I play the fascism card.
See how that works?

so it is your belief that legitimate reporters asking questions constitute 'interfering with lawful assembly'? Remember - these were guys who were just doing their job. They were covering a valid news story...and they got tossed in jail DESPITE their credentials.

you scare me dude. Even while I don't always like the press, I wouldn't throw them in jail for doing their jobs.

You get mixed in with a group of hundreds during a mass arrest, don't be surprised that the police don't have time to check your credentials.

I know many Saint Paul cops. My grandfather was a cop his entire life in this city. I have friends that are cops in Saint Paul. They're good people. They did their job. Stop acting like cops aren't people too.

The Onanist:
What about the people who were swept up in the police actions who were just on their way to their cars after dining/shopping/going to a show.

/Yes, that happened.

I know. It sucks. They weren't charged. Who cares?

The Onanist: What about the people who were swept up in the police actions who were just on their way to their cars after dining/shopping/going to a show.

hahahahahaha

I'll just go to my car and go home. Hey, what are all these people doing here throwing rocks at police? Not my business. I'll just walk right on through the melee to my car.

ow! ow! ow! ow!


boy, I sure didn't see that coming.

/in the middle of a street riot, leave via the quickest route out!

The Onanist: b2theory: These were reporters who followed Black Bloc asshats away from the main protest where they proceeded to trash my city. Throwing rocks at businesses and police protecting those businesses is not free speech.

What about the people who were swept up in the police actions who were just on their way to their cars after dining/shopping/going to a show.

/Yes, that happened.

Uhm, we had PLENTY of warning to GTFO. Especially when it was made known months prior that these "anarchists" would be stating protests of their own.

I live downtown. I left. There was no way in hell I was going to be there. Good thing I did too as the building next door to mine got all smashed up by said anarchists.

LlamaGirl:

I live downtown. I left. There was no way in hell I was going to be there. Good thing I did too as the building next door to mine got all smashed up covered in expressive political and social expression by said anarchists persecuted freedom love children.

Fixed.

Weaver95: you scare me dude. Even while I don't always like the press, I wouldn't throw them in jail for doing their jobs.

Weaver, you and I have had this discussion, like a thousand times. I don't think all cops are angels. I just don't assume they're part of some oppressive conspiracy either. The reporters got caught in a large protest and the average beat cop isn't going to make fine point distinctions between who was there to cause trouble and who was there to cover trouble.

The reporters did nothing wrong- they were just doing their jobs. And the city agrees.

I'm tired of protesters being called anarchists. Yes somebody who dreams of a society with no hierarchy is pretty likely going to protest governmental functions. But plenty of people have problems with just one or two policies of a certain party. They are , by no means anarchists.

Then you have your punks who just want to stir shiat up. Those are the people that get labeled 'anarchists' and instead of hating these people, your average citizens hate the label.

jaylectricity: I'm tired of protesters being called anarchists

Link (new window)

The RNC Welcoming Committee is an anarchist / anti-authoritarian organizing body preparing for the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

They called themselves anarchists.

Didnt Condi just condem Putin for oppressing freedom of press. I mean the RNC is not killing anyone but geez

Sir Roderick Glossop: Uh, Spazmitter? They're dropping the charges. Dropping them. The reporters were just doing their job, and the city government is recognizing that by dropping the charges. The charges- they're dropped.

/did you really think the police were going to make the decisions in the moment about who was going to get charged and who wasn't?

no. but I think that submitters point is that they should.

Ryan2065: jaylectricity: I'm tired of protesters being called anarchists

Link (new window)

The RNC Welcoming Committee is an anarchist / anti-authoritarian organizing body preparing for the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

They called themselves anarchists.

They weren't the only ones out there.

sckonkh: Didnt Condi just condem Putin for oppressing freedom of press. I mean the RNC is not killing anyone but geez

I'm guessing that by RNC you mean the republicans, and there are a couple thousand Iraqis who might beg to differ.

Or maybe their families would beg to differ.

jcooli09:
I'm guessing that by RNC you mean the republicans, and there are a couple thousand Iraqis who might beg to differ.

Or maybe their families would beg to differ.

Oops, make that a couple of hundred thousand.

It was a long day, and somebody keeps replacing my beer with an empty bottle.

FTFA
Police had warned the large group to dissipate, then closed in from both sides of the bridge and made mass arrests.

Hey, look! Mythology!
Next you'll hear that the arrestees were INTENTIONALLY on the bridge, instead of being ordered to go there by the police. Arr, matey.

jaylectricity
Then you have your punks who just want to stir shiat up.

Actually, we were attempting to show that the State isn't invincible, by preventing the RNC from occuring on the first day. As it turned out, a stupid hurricane did the job for us, but not in a helpful way...

It's not the crime, it's the cover-up.

FTA:
"This decision reflects the values we have in Saint Paul to protect and promote our First Amendment rights"

LOL

jaylectricity: Ryan2065: jaylectricity: I'm tired of protesters being called anarchists

Link (new window)

The RNC Welcoming Committee is an anarchist / anti-authoritarian organizing body preparing for the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

They called themselves anarchists.

They weren't the only ones out there.

They seem to be the ones who were responsible for much of the damage.

No Bill of Rights, America! Not Yours(pops)

b2theory: I know. It sucks. They weren't charged. Who cares?

The people with bleeding head wounds cared. People shouting "Press Press PRESSS!" as they were slammed to the ground and beaten sure as HELL cared.

Douche.

Sir Roderick Glossop: The reporters did nothing wrong- they were just doing their jobs. And the city agrees.

Unfortunately, the city did not agree in time for them to actually be able to DO their job, as they were in jail.

This is how an authoritarian state works. Throw people in jail when you need them to be in jail, and then release them and "drop the charges" because they've done nothing wrong. Then people on Fark will claim you did the right thing.

tagged and released for future tracking.

b2theory: Weaver95: albo: the mayor, who's in charge of the police, is a democrat i believe, and Ramsey county, where st. paul is, voted kerry 2-1 over bush in 2004 (from state election bureau figures).

so it was Republican intimidation of the press?

I think suppression of free speech is bi-partisan these days. feeling any safer about the government nationalizing half the stock market this week?

all we need now is a good, solid terrorist attack somewhere close to home (sometime around mid-october would work) and we'll be able to scare people into giving government whatever controls they ask for.....

As a St. Paulite, you sound like an idiot. The St. Paul mayor is on the far end of the leftist spectrum. This is a city where the Republicans have stopped fielding candidates.

Ultimately, this wasn't suppression of free speech. These were reporters who followed Black Bloc asshats away from the main protest where they proceeded to trash my city. Throwing rocks at businesses and police protecting those businesses is not free speech.

When did the reporters who got arrested throw rocks at your business? Do you have proof it was them? Keep in mind you cannot just arrest everybody if arresting the people committing a crime is too much trouble.

Most of those cops are nice, but rememeber they were turned into a federalized goon squad for the RNC. The fact that the charges were dropped does not excuse the fact that they were rounded up in mass and arrested. As if we should be grateful that its allowed to just arrest everyone and drop the charges later.

What a waste of resources for the city. They should have told the RNC to fark off.

I was there moments before the last bridge incident at the RNC. It was peaceful.

Sir Roderick Glossop: Uh, Spazmitter? They're dropping the charges. Dropping them. The reporters were just doing their job, and the city government is recognizing that by dropping the charges. The charges- they're dropped.

/did you really think the police were going to make the decisions in the moment about who was going to get charged and who wasn't?

FTA: "The decision will only affect people identified as journalists who face the misdemeanor charge."

So who gets "identified" as a journalist? This is that same old post-9/11 wigglespeak where you allow the same jackasses who are abusing their power to determine if their victims deserved it.

You don't recognize reporters' right to cover stories by kicking their asses, ruining their assignments, putting them in jail overnight and then quietly cutting them lose when you feel like it. You recognize them by helping them out, or at least leaving them the fark alone and not busting them for blocking the sidewalk during a nationally newsworthy event.

Sir Roderick Glossop: Uh, Spazmitter? They're dropping the charges. Dropping them. The reporters were just doing their job, and the city government is recognizing that by dropping the charges. The charges- they're dropped.

/did you really think the police were going to make the decisions in the moment about who was going to get charged and who wasn't?

The members of the press who were arrested were all credentialed, but were still arrested. The point of having the press credentials is to keep the press from being arrested. The police don't need to "make the decisions in the moment," they just need to see the press credentials and let the journalist go, without arresting him (or her). During the RNC, the St Paul police arrested everybody, including press. You can see video of some of the arrests at democracynow.org.

But subby blaming this on the Republicans is disingenuous, since it was the police department, not the RNC committee who was in charge of the operation.

b2theory: You get mixed in with a group of hundreds during a mass arrest, don't be surprised that the police don't have time to check your credentials.


Oh, come on. Check out the videos of the cops arresting the producers and reporter for Democracy Now! The producers were shouting "Press! Press!" the whole time and showing their credentials. How difficult would it be for the arresting officer to take a quick look at the credentials, versus throwing them to the ground, roughing them up, dragging them away, and arresting them?

In Amy Goodman's case, she heard that her crew had been arrested and approached an officer, showing her credentials, and asked to speak to a commanding officer. The officer refused, and arrested her on the spot, despite her visible credentials and her protests that she had credentials. Another officer came up to her, ripped off her press pass, and said "not anymore." This is all videotaped and available to view at democracynow.org (no poppy). You can expect that St Paul is going to be facing a metric ass-load of wrongful arrest lawsuits over this.

I think it was Churchill2004 who said "Police are not your friends. They are there to arrest you if they can" or something like that. It seems like every year I get further from thinking that's pseudo-anarchist paranoia and more to 100% agreement. Right now I'm very far to the agreement side.

ShaniquaDon'tLiveHereNoMo': Sir Roderick Glossop: The reporters did nothing wrong- they were just doing their jobs. And the city agrees.

Unfortunately, the city did not agree in time for them to actually be able to DO their job, as they were in jail.

THIS

Farking RNC police state BS

mylonitic:

In Amy Goodman's case, she heard that her crew had been arrested and approached an officer, showing her credentials, and asked to speak to a commanding officer. The officer refused, and arrested her on the spot, despite her visible credentials and her protests that she had credentials. Another officer came up to her, ripped off her press pass, and said "not anymore."

farking funny, especially since the evil police-actions on display were committed by one of the hardest left governed regions in the country.

Even better was that they were unleashed to preserve the free speech and assembly rights of a bunch of right-wingers.

Uh, Spazmitter? They're dropping the charges. Dropping them

[Romero]

"Sometimes, the purpose of a false arrest is just to get someone away from a hot situation long enough that the situation swings a different way. Later on, the charges will be magnanimously dropped."

Submitter, Republicans can't get within 1000 feet of Saint Paul's city gov't. We're a blue city. Stop democrats look like paranoid lunatics.

Yes subby, because the St. Paul police department takes their marching orders from the Republicans. That's a reasonable statement.

My friend was taking photos of the scenes in downtown St. Paul. The cops pull him aside and drilled him with a million questions, then told him that if he came back, they'd arrest him for 'criminal trespassing'.

He was walking around the city. WTF. Anyone defending these temporary police state actions as a sign of some greater good should bag it up and move to Venezuala.

The RNC drew anarchists and the DNC drew methed up white supremacists - what does that tell you? Obama's would-be assassins were tagged and released, too.
I wonder if any of those journalists were allowed to keep the film they shot? Anarchists to the administration pretty much describes anyone with a laptop. You know, community organizers.
I cannot fault the local authorities for being very careful not to allow anything to happen that would be bad for tourism. While I am just as anti-authoritarian as the next anonymous person, taking photos can be construed as an act which could be considered "recon" for a planned act of terrorism nowadays - at least our security forces didn't behead anyone.
As ugly as this campaign is getting it's no wonder they don't want unauthorised videos to pop up on YouTube - it doesn't do our world image any good for foreigners to see us as a weakened and fractured nation right now with the War On Terror readying up for round three.
/Off to mourn American Conservatism

It's so funny how people complain.

It's a POLICE STATE. They are LAUGHING AT YOU.