Amy Goodman Arrested at RNC

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ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her.

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

http://countercurrents.org/goodman020908.htm

Edited September 2, 2008 by Jabberwocky

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(Update: from Crooks and Liars)

Glenn Greenwald reports:

Beginning last night, St. Paul was the most militarized I have ever seen an American city be, even more so than Manhattan in the week of 9/11 — with troops of federal, state and local law enforcement agents marching around with riot gear, machine guns, and tear gas canisters, shouting military chants and marching in military formations. Humvees and law enforcement officers with rifles were posted on various buildings and balconies. Numerous protesters and observers were tear gassed and injured.

… Perhaps most extraordinarily,

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now

— the radio and TV broadcaster who has been a working journalist for close to 20 years — was arrested on the street and charged with "conspiracy to riot." Audio of her arrest, which truly shocked and angered the crowd of observers, is

here

. I just attended a Press Conference with St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Police Chief John M. Harrington and — after they boasted of how "restrained" their police actions were — asked about the journalists and lawyers who had been detained and/or arrested both today and over the weekend. They said they wouldn't give any information about journalists who had been arrested today, though they said they believed that "one journalist" had been, and that she "was a participant in the riots, not simply a non-participant."

........................ more..............

Update

:

Amy has been released, but her two producers, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, are still being held.

“I was down on the convention floor interviewing delegates when I heard that two of our producers had been arrested,” said Goodman. “I ran down to Jackson and 7th Street, where the police had moved in.”

Goodman said that when she ran up to find out what was going on, she was also arrested.

“They seriously manhandled me and handcuffed my hands behind my back. The top ID [at the convention] is to get on the floor and the Secret Service ripped that off me. I had my Democracy Now! ID too. I was clearly a reporter.”

Goodman, who was released after being charged with a misdemeanor, said that Salazar had been hurt in the face, while Kouddous had been thrown up against a wall and hurt his elbow.

“Nicole told me that as they moved in on three sides, she asked them ‘How do I get away from this?’ and they jumped on her.”

Both Kouddous and Salazar could be held for up to 36 hours.

“One of the police kept shouting at me ‘Shut up, shut up,” she said. “It was extremely threatening.”

Update 2:

Democracy Now! reports

that both Kouddous and Salazar have now been released too. (H/t Kat)

All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.

On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on:

www.democracynow.org

Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a “peace officer.”

… During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/01/d...odman-arrested/

Edited September 2, 2008 by Jabberwocky

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained.

what a dumb #######.

[AlHayatZween 2]

maybe that's what they mean by "less big government"?

[IAMX 3,055]

They're also seizing people who are simply recording police actions on camera, and those doing massive protests.

Welcome to your new America.

Just make sure it's all on camera to show the world what kind of freedom we like to spread.

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Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained.

what a dumb #######.

As a well known news journalist with full access (security clearance) to the Convention floor, what do you think she should have done? She went to the police to vouch for the two journalists.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Jabberwocky

[AlHayatZween 2]

It was like this at the last RNC in New York 4 years ago...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Chalk another one up to our friendly, neighbourhood cops (AKA the Stasi).

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Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) Condemns Police Intimidation of Journalists

click here for the audio.

[GaryC 7]

Guess what? The RNC has no say as to how the police secure the convention. That is wholly done by the state of Minnesota and the city of St.Paul. BTW the Governor of Minnesota is a dem.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Hmmmm. Has anyone blamed the Reps for this?

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As the RNC Opens in St. Paul, Twin Cities Police Arrest Nearly 300; Journalists Targeted

Gena Berglund of Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild discusses the police tactics including the targeting of journalists and use of excessive force on the street. On Monday Officers in riot gear fired rubber bullets, tear gas, pepperspray and concusion grenades at protesters and journalists.

Police in the Twin Cities arrested nearly 300 protesters as well as several journalists covering the protests Monday. I was arrested along with two producers from Democracy Now – Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Also arrested were Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke and two filmmakers from Pepperspray Productions-–Lambert Rochfort and Joseph Lasac.

Most of the arrests took place within hours of a ten-thousand-strong peace march organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War. After the rally ended, several splinter groups broke off for spontaneous breakaway actions in the streets of St. Paul. Some were seen breaking windows at the First National Bank, Macys and other buildings. Others also set up makeshift barricades in the streets and tried to block delegate buses from reaching the convention.

Officers in riot gear fired rubber bullets, tear gas, pepperspray and concussion grenades at the protesters and some journalists as well.

Gena Berglund, Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/2/as_the_rnc_opens_in_st

Edited September 2, 2008 by Jabberwocky

[Dan J 277]

Guess what? The RNC has no say as to how the police secure the convention. That is wholly done by the state of Minnesota and the city of St.Paul. BTW the Governor of Minnesota is a dem.

Ah no he isn't. He is a Republican, and was even vetted by McCain.

[IAMX 3,055]

Guess what? The RNC has no say as to how the police secure the convention. That is wholly done by the state of Minnesota and the city of St.Paul. BTW the Governor of Minnesota is a dem.

Ah no he isn't. He is a Republican, and was even vetted by McCain.

This is all the President's fault. He's a Democrat.

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Pawlenty is a Dem and Global Warming isn't Science.

Welcome to Gary's parallel universe.