Authorities Preemptively Target RNC Protestors
August 31, 2008, Matthew Good Security was tight during the Democratic National Convention, but not so tight that the Republicans are going to tolerate being ‘out done’. As Glen Greenwald reports, things have been transpiring in Minneapolis prior to the RNC that take the cake…
“Protesters here in Minneapolis have been targeted by a series of highly intimidating, sweeping police raids across the city, involving teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets. Last night, members of the St. Paul police department and the Ramsey County sheriff’s department handcuffed, photographed and detained dozens of people meeting at a public venue to plan a demonstration, charging them with no crime other than “fire code violations,” and early this morning, the Sheriff’s department sent teams of officers into at least four Minneapolis area homes where suspected protesters were staying.”
I awoke this morning to a photograph of a US soldier in full combat gear standing in downtown New Orleans. As some of you are aware, that city has been ordered evacuated due to the approach of hurricane Gustav. Given the federal government’s completely incompetent response to hurricane Katrina, it only stands to reason that the Department of Homeland Security is going to take preemptive measures to help secure the city and aid in the evacuation. But even given that, there’s still something about the image of a soldier holding a combat weapon in front of an army vehicle on the street of a city in a free society that disturbs me (even though I have seen it many times in Europe).
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its all a bit spooky wondering whether new orleans is going to get pounded, again-
or escape without a scratch.
the modern media down here is pretty incredible
with the kind of info they are providing…
hope it isn’t too bad.
and great show in buffalo on friday, thanks-
hope you and your dad have a fantastic time in England next month.
vincent, in buffalo
http://louisebrooks.com
though more extreme in the U.S., I remember attending a protest in Ottawa in which we were all filmed and photographed by police the night before where we stayed at a union hall. Everytime someone went out for a smoke they were documented by police standing across the street.
The protest, a peaceful one for the G8 summit that year, went off smoothly with no arrests. But there was an obvious attempt by the police to profile individuals and groups beforehand.
As a young person, it was a scary introduction into the world of activism and the reality of the ways in which our ‘democracy’ is protected from being excercised.
You would think in a matter such as assisting during a natural disaster that they could forgo the camoflague and weapons. I mean, great, I’m all for them helping out, like our own military did in the floods, ice storm, etc. but really, who are they kidding with the camo? Spring for some civilian disaster uniforms that don’t scare the hell out of people, and lose the weapons. Lord knows there are enough times they are called to help out where a shovel or life preserver are more handy than a weapon.
Re: RNC, part of me really hopes they go overboard, not because in any way do I want to see protestors or others harmed but I want them to blatantly show their true colours so perhaps Americans will get a sense of all they have lost.
They need to remind us, at all times, that they are in control and we cannot disobey.
Free society? HA
They can break say screw it to constitituional law but yet they must obey the law when it comes to conventions? Hell, is that a RNC rule or an actual law. If it is a rule, then ca’t they break it? I mean come on, yes they are limiting this but the whole ordeal surrounding this is kind of misleading. Especially because you know they are going to act as if they were the only ones that did anything, and that sacrificed any of their time to do so.
Back when APEC was happening out at UBC, there were snipers all over the buildings making sure nobody got out of hand around all the dignitaries. Kids with school books were walking to and from classes with sniper scopes aimed at them from multiple locations.
[quote comment="63544"]Back when APEC was happening out at UBC, there were snipers all over the buildings making sure nobody got out of hand around all the dignitaries. Kids with school books were walking to and from classes with sniper scopes aimed at them from multiple locations.[/quote]
That’s pretty scary. They mistake a gun for a cellphone or something and you point it the wrong way, and you could be dead.
Wait till you see National Guard units protecting water supplies as our fresh water supply disappears. And if conservative, Evangelical, NRA, narrowly focus Americans can gain more power, America will see more guns, more violence as the end of times, the Rapture, is forced into reality by the faithful that live only to the see the day they ascend. You have to live near Aiken, South Carolina to understand how close we are to this reality. Just listen to Lindsey Graham. If McCain/Palin wins, the future of America will belong to the Intelligent Design Creationist who can only control non-believers by the use of force.
“You would think in a matter such as assisting during a natural disaster that they could forgo the camoflague and weapons. I mean, great, I’m all for them helping out, like our own military did in the floods, ice storm, etc. but really, who are they kidding with the camo? Spring for some civilian disaster uniforms that don’t scare the hell out of people, and lose the weapons.”
Susan - The reason the National Guard wears Battle Dress Utilities is that the uniforms are made to be durable and useful. Also specific gear such as Wound dressings, are carried in the same spots on the BDU’s so that even in darkness, another Guardsman knows exactly where to reach for the items he may need immediately. It is also useful in identifying like minded comrades. It has nothing to do with Fashion Sense. I’m not sure wearing Leisure Suits with color co-ordinated loafers will do the trick.
Here is a partial transcrript written by one of the first responders to New Orleans during Katrina…..This man is credited with safely removing 71 patients and their beds to safety on his boat. He has much more to say about Katrina; but this, I think will suffice,
“For Katrina– my first day there they airlifted a deputy sherrif out cause he was shot in the head (Tue. night) by thugs….and people stayed in NOLA with the sole purpose of stealing , looting and other crimes.
”
I awoke this morning to a photograph of a US soldier in full combat gear standing in downtown New Orleans. As some of you are aware, that city has been ordered evacuated due to the approach of hurricane Gustav. Given the federal government’s completely incompetent response to hurricane Katrina, it only stands to reason that the Department of Homeland Security is going to take preemptive measures to help secure the city and aid in the evacuation. But even given that, there’s still something about the image of a soldier holding a combat weapon in front of an army vehicle on the street of a city in a free society that disturbs me (even though I have seen it many times in Europe).”
The following was written by a civilian Red Cross volunteer who was on the scene before the National Guard arrived. Most of the New Orleans Police had already fled. This is a first hand account of why armed soldiers in BDU’s are what you want to see if you are driving a boat into the mouth of the Beast known as Katrina:
As some of you know, I did rescue for Katrina and Rita.
As far as rescuing goes; they were two different animals altogether….
Rescuing for Rita as an almost pleasant experience, the only down side was that people lost their homes and memories….but were great people and I made friends…even the state police allowed people to return to their homes and not invoke martial law because of the character of these people.
Katrina OTOH—was a nightmare—looters, thugs, ungratefuls, thieves, druggies, murderers, ect…..thats all I ran into, and ran away from…these people kept the good from doing their job…for Katrina we were given strict rules about telling people we had food and water with us in the boat and to never travel the same path twice, we were advised to carry a weapon and hide it (yes, that is very true).
[quote comment="63549"]Wait till you see National Guard units protecting water supplies as our fresh water supply disappears. And if conservative, Evangelical, NRA, narrowly focus Americans can gain more power, America will see more guns, more violence as the end of times, the Rapture, is forced into reality by the faithful that live only to the see the day they ascend. You have to live near Aiken, South Carolina to understand how close we are to this reality. Just listen to Lindsey Graham. If McCain/Palin wins, the future of America will belong to the Intelligent Design Creationist who can only control non-believers by the use of force.[/quote]
Which is why I fail to understand why most liberals are for gun control. The right to bear arms is not only so you can protect yourself and your home against those who would do you harm, but more importantly to protect yourself against a corrupt government that would use force against its own citizens.
I personally will never give up my guns, and I don’t care if I’m stepping outside of the boundaries of the law by owning them. The day I’m subjected to a military presence telling me how to live, whether that’s the national guard or a paramilitary police force, is the day I make a stand. Better to die free than live as a slave.
Did the police raids on the homes of suspected protesters make anyone else think of V for Vendetta?
I thought free speech and the right to assemble peacefully could be taken for granted America, you know, as part of the Constitution. Apparently not.
Until we stop killing, their will always be sides.
So basically it’s ok to use guns to protect yourself if you’re white.
If whites take food from flood-damaged stores it’s “salvaging”, but when blacks do it it’s “looting”.
I have friends in New Orleans who survived Katrina (broken back and all) and I am praying for peoples safety come tomorrow. They have yet to recover from the tragedy of 3 years ago.
fascism, repeat after me
how we ever let it get to “designated protest zones” is baffling
these people think that after they put on a badge and are given a gun and nightstick, they aren’t citizens any more
what freedom do they believe they are fighting for? asking questions and debate are fundamental parts of what this society supposedly represents
so we need policing that works for us, not against us, I for one would love the “pig” stereotypes to be dropped so they could work with us, and enjoy their job for the appreciation they receive rather than going on a bogus power trip that makes them feel special
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385×179189
“This is coming from somewhere else, it’s very coordinated, it’s very studied, it’s very orderly, and it’s Kafkaesque.”
Off topic. The recent article smacks of irony. Sarah Palin, if you hadn’t put yourself on this high MORAL horse this shit wouldn’t happen to you….and if it did and you claimed to be a REGULAR person it wouldn’t look so bad
BC-CVN–Palin-Daughter, 1st Ld,210
Palin says daughter is pregnant
Eds: ADDS details.
By LIZ SIDOTI
Associated Press Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — John McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin said Monday that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is pregnant.
A statement released by the campaign said that Bristol Palin will keep her baby and marry the child’s father.
“Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents,” Sarah and Todd Palin said in the brief statement.
“Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family,” they added.
Senior McCain advisers said the Arizona senator and his top aides had known about Bristol’s pregnancy before offering Palin the No. 2 spot on the GOP ticket.
McCain’s campaign and the Palins asked that the media respect the couple’s privacy.
We see the same thing whenever a US president is in Canada. I’ve been to three events that had snipers, military helicopters, riot police with dogs, military-controlled zones, and so on. I don’t think it’s a Republican thing, just a commander-in-chief thing.
“Off topic. The recent article smacks of irony. Sarah Palin, if you hadn’t put yourself on this high MORAL horse this shit wouldn’t happen to you….and if it did and you claimed to be a REGULAR person it wouldn’t look so bad”
Patrick: What shit? Are you talking about the impending birth of a beautiful innocent life? An event that spits death and mortality right back in the eye? A life affirming action that demonstrates the reverence we all should show towards life and the human race?
Would you comment, please. I am unsure where you stand on live birth of babies….
Shouldn’t the birth of a child be considered a wonderful thing, regardless of your politics.
(I can see it now: Robert’s being a troll again!!!!)
[quote comment="63596"]Patrick: What shit? Are you talking about the impending birth of a beautiful innocent life? An event that spits death and mortality right back in the eye? A life affirming action that demonstrates the reverence we all should show towards life and the human race?
Would you comment, please. I am unsure where you stand on live birth of babies….
Shouldn’t the birth of a child be considered a wonderful thing, regardless of your politics.
(I can see it now: Robert’s being a troll again!!!!)[/quote]
No, there’s nothing troll-like about that comment. Though it would be somewhat insensitive to argue that the birth of a baby is not beautiful or that a newborn infant is not beautiful, I don’t think this precludes me from arguing that some births are beginnings of tragic stories. And, admitting that the birth of a new life is a beautiful and an innocent thing does not preclude me from my belief that it is utterly tragic that Bristol Palin apparently has the weight of her mother’s pro-life position and the viability of the McCain campaign to weigh with other personal moral, medical, financial and religious considerations in deciding what to do with her own body and whether she actually wants to marry the baby’s father. Simply because her mother is pro-life, pro-abstinence, anti-contraception and anti-”explicit sex education” does not mean that Bristol, who is 17-years old, and the baby’s father, who is 18-years old, hold the same beliefs. And, we don’t know: Maybe the condom broke. Perhaps it is the politics apparently influencing Bristol Palin’s decision and affecting the future of the father’s life in a pro-choice country (which, whatever your beliefs, the United States is today and in which Bristol Palin and the baby’s father have the right to live) that we should be lamenting. How free is her decision here?
[quote comment="63596"]“Off topic. The recent article smacks of irony. Sarah Palin, if you hadn’t put yourself on this high MORAL horse this shit wouldn’t happen to you….and if it did and you claimed to be a REGULAR person it wouldn’t look so bad”
Patrick: What shit? Are you talking about the impending birth of a beautiful innocent life? An event that spits death and mortality right back in the eye? A life affirming action that demonstrates the reverence we all should show towards life and the human race?
Would you comment, please. I am unsure where you stand on live birth of babies….
Shouldn’t the birth of a child be considered a wonderful thing, regardless of your politics.
(I can see it now: Robert’s being a troll again!!!!)[/quote]
Not sure if you are going sarcastic on me, but dude the birth of a child isn’t an issue with me…WE HAVE FIVE KIDS! Yeah, you can thank us when your pension plan is well looked after.
I think the question that really needs to be addressed it can Mrs. Palin actually think she has enough in the tank to manage her family, all those kids, one with down syndrome, her daughters situation, and do an adequate job in the White House…
Now, I known many in here will jump all over that comment about it being sexist and her husband can do all that….fucking try it with five kids….babies….its definitely a two person job, even more if you have them….and a mother is the FIRST and most important parent to those children when they are young…
Also, I love this stance….Sarah is Pro-life and Pro-capital punishment all at the same time….How the fuck does that happen? Keep a life at one end and snuff it at that other….yeahhhh
I think a 17 year old mother to be is off limits to political snip;ing. I see the Daily Koss is backing off it’s story. p.martini: who is to say about Bristols’ state of mind?
Patrick: Congrats on having 5! I only have the one, adopted. Her mom was 14, and I will be eternally grateful she chose life for her baby. Politics never entered into it. If my 17 year old Kate came to me and said she was pregnant, I would tell her I loved her and will support her no matter what path she takes. I suspect Sarah Palin said and will do much the same.
Sen. Obama has said that this issue does not belong in politics. I agree. Baracks mom was 17 when she was pregnant with him.
Robert R.:
I’m not claiming to know what her state of mind is. I was just acknowledging the basic unfairness of her situation, which no one seems to be acknowledging. Surely, her Mom’s street cred as a pro-lifer would be questioned if Bristol chose to have an abortion.
That’s for sure!
[quote comment="63535"]You would think in a matter such as assisting during a natural disaster that they could forgo the camoflague and weapons. I mean, great, I’m all for them helping out, like our own military did in the floods, ice storm, etc. but really, who are they kidding with the camo? Spring for some civilian disaster uniforms that don’t scare the hell out of people, and lose the weapons.
.[/quote]
They have to wear camo’s, it’s the standard issue uniform for the American Military now. They liked our pattern so much they wanted their own just like it. They couldn’t use our colours though so they went with their own. But thats just how it works. They can’t pick and choose what uniforms to wear.
Amy Goodman and her producers along with some other AP reporter were arrested as well today. Seems they’re at least not discriminating between the free press and the lapdogs - apparently they’re arresting both the 4th and the 5th estates. Democracy Now Updates
Robert. Good on you for adopting. I’d have adopted in a second.