Last night, the meeting place organized by the RNC Welcoming Committee was raided by police and this morning multiple homes were raided.
The UpTake has been doing both recorded and live video of the raids today. The UpTake has provided some great first-person on the ground coverage and interviews including visiting inside the RNC WC’s headquarters and authorities entering a home.
The Pioneer Press, MPR and Star Tribune have stories, all of which are must-reads in my opinion. MPR’s Bob Collins has been close to this story has continued coverage at his News Cut blog including a piece on Bob Fletcher as well as visiting one of the scenes. Minnesota Independent also has continuing coverage. Glenn Greenwald at Salon has a recap and MNspeak is collecting links to the latest news from all sources. If you use Twitter, MinnPost’s David Brauer compiles many of the Twitter accounts that have the latest.
This is likely going to be the top story tonight as more details emerge.
Fletcher’s Republican paramilitary (Ramsey County deputies) are the tip of the spear.
DFL controlled paramils (mpls,stpaul city cops, hennepin Co) will
be used as street grunts in crowd control. Same old seizures of “buckets of urine and street weapons of anarchists”; no pictures
of so called weapons and urine or warrants seen yet.
Look for the Republican Co. Sheriffs deputies (Anoka, Dakota?, Ramsey, etc) to be used as provocateurs to provoke
city cops into violent actions against defenseless clueless demonstrators who should be wearing “kick me” signs. The Republicans
have the paramilitary political split tactics down pat, they will get the DFL controlled paras into trouble.
I have been out all day interviewing and covering this, I am not seeing a good cause. One of the homes raided had the primary purpose of getting food ready. In hours of watching, very little was taken from the house. Four buckets were taken. The search warrant included looking for urine and feces, so I am guessing the contents of toilets were taken. I guess anyone who ever has those items is now subject to arrest.
ANARCHISTS! ANARCHISTS EVERYWHERE!!!!!
Why are PROTESTORS labeled as Anarchists? Can anyone tell me that?
What led someone to conclude that is what they are, or is that the way the RNC said then SHOULD be labeled?
It sounds like an organized spiel to suddenly find “anarchists” in the woodwork.
I followed this story on the blogs then watched local news coverage and find difference in perspective intriguing. These preemptive raids and arrests are outrageous and frightening to me. Yet I wonder about if the intent of one of the groups being targeted is being downplayed on the blogs, based of list released of items confiscated. What is the line where preemptive action to prevent organizers from inciting a riot is reasonable
(vague memories of clips from WTO protests in seattle running through my mind.) I cheer on those who want to step up their protest with nonviolent civil disobedience, but only to a certain level (such as temporary blockades and not pelting police with urine.)
I’m looking forward to participating with a church group in the peaceful, legal march on the RNC but am kind of hoping that I might happen to observe some nonviolent civil disobedience that ends in reasonable arrest procedures if/when it occurs.
Thanks for the report and links Aaron.
Now, what crime were they to have committed?
It should be obvious to everyone that the police actions were justified. The protesters have already gone way too far and it’s just the first full day.
A right to protest - yes, A right to cause destruction or disruption - no. Those that do have whatever happens to them coming to them.