Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman Arrested In St. Paul
Things in Minneapolis are getting out of hand, and the militancy involved is something that Americans should be informed about. I fully understand that many people have preconceived notions about protestors, that some are hippie throw backs and others are little more than pseudo-anarchists looking to cause trouble, the latter of which is certainly true, but the truth is that those bent on confrontation with authorities are actually in the minority. In many cases, the authorities are just as responsible for placing people in situations in which they feel threatened, act in defense of themselves out of fear, and are then subsequently dealt with forcibly by law enforcement.
If exercising your Constitutional rights makes you a ‘hippie’, then I guess it’s safe to say that some of the most predominant activists in America are ‘hippies’. Daniel Ellsberg, an ex-Marine who once worked for The Rand Corporation and the Department of Defense in the 60’s, and was one of the authours of what would later be known as The Pentagon Papers, would be among them. Ironically, there was once a time when he was considered one of the most noted Hawks in Washington.
I have a hard time picturing Dr. Martin Luther King as a hippie, not to mention Frederick Douglas or Horace Greeley, but if the shoe fits…
That said; amongst those arrested today were two Democracy Now! producers and veteran journalist Amy Goodman…
“Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.
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.”
[…]
“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.”
Also arrested was Matt Rourke, a photographer for the Associated Press. CNN political commentator and Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute, Donna Brazile, was also hit by pepper stray while walking to the convention.
Below are two videos. The first is via the San Francisco Chronicle, who interviewed Goodman shortly after her release. The second is of her arrest.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 9:12 am
Check out the second video, at 29 seconds one of the “peace officers” walks in front of the camera while taking out his baton and licking his lips!!! These guys are just looking for reasons to use force. I hope they release the Salazar arrest video soon.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:13 am
abuse.peace enforced?bulletproof armed.
they should be charged with kidnapping.
laws need be the same for all citizens.
police pope or homeless.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
“I fully understand that many people have preconceived notions about protestors, that some are hippie throw backs and others are little more than pseudo-anarchists looking to cause trouble, the latter of which is certainly true, but the truth is that those bent on confrontation with authorities are actually in the minority. In many cases, the authorities are just as responsible for placing people in situations in which they feel threatened, act in defense of themselves out of fear, and are then subsequently dealt with forcibly by law enforcement. ”
I once had a friend, who is a police officer and who has worked in situations involving protestors, describe the situation to me in this way. He tried to explain that to him, the closest thing that he ever experienced to dealing with the potential threat of a crowd was playing sports, and in particular, contact sports. He said that in some instances the escalation of aggression and violence happens in such small and unnoticeable increments that before you know it things are out of hand - everybody in the other teams’ jersey just looks the same and you are aware of the highest common denominator in terms of potential threat - not the lowest and that is what you expect and prepare for.
I have some law enforcement experience myself - luckily not crowd control. It seems to me that in every other circumstance (let’s use a domestic situation for example) that you want to control and deflate the potential for violence - not throw gas on the fire. What surprises me is that in all of the footage that I have seen over the years of protests that turn violent - the “riot squad” always seems to have this “bring it on” attitude which is contrary to what policing is all about in virtually ever other scenario - it just does not make sense.
I could never do protests or crowd control as an officer - I don’t know how you could justify taking that kind of action when your job is to keep the peace and protect people. If you share common ground or even some of the same concerns at the protestors - how do you set that aside and start wielding your baton?
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:37 am
Unfucking believable.
“Bloodying the nose of democracy”
Damn right.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 am
not to mention the i witness journalists who had a gun pointed at them after the so called “peace officers” broke into their house
if you read the warrant, though it is hard to read for me, it says that they were expecting to find incendiary devices, molotov cocktails and bombs among a long list, although the address doesn’t seem to add up to what i heard in the original video of this incident
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roEK1aPK8hI&feature=related (warrant)
so perhaps the officers had been deliberately mislead along with the desire of some of them to just beat people up and feel powerful for satisfaction
Any way it goes, I have the strong feeling that things are going to change very soon
The new breed are turning off their TVs and their Radios and not allowing the bullshit to enter their heads anymore
The culture of fear and paranoia that is constantly portrayed through those mediums is there because they are paranoid and afraid about us, about the evolution of our species which can not be stopped or stunted no matter how hard they try and no matter how much money is thrown at it
Instead of working together with us they have only delayed the inevitable
Waking up and realizing we don’t need them and we can run this shit on our own
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:47 am
No one should be arrested for simply making video or audio recordings in public. Even if they are part of a protest (and not a journalist, as the arrestees clearly were and clearly stated), what law states that one cannot record something within the public sphere?
Not to sound too much like Alex Jones, but more and more it seems to me that a police state is on the rise in the US. The actions (and $$$ and plans and gear and beefed up presence) of police at both the Democratic and Republican conventions is obscene, especially the pre-RNC raids on “possible protesters” homes.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
[quote comment="63633"]Check out the second video, at 29 seconds one of the “peace officers” walks in front of the camera while taking out his baton and licking his lips!!! These guys are just looking for reasons to use force. I hope they release the Salazar arrest video soon.[/quote]
I thought the same thing too. These so called “peace officers” It’s all about exceeding power and authority and loving every minute of it. It makes me sick. These acts are inexcusable!!!
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
Brian — the ‘bring it on’ attitude serves to incite violence, and subsequently marginalize the protest. Think about the Montebello Provocateurs. If a protest can be discredited for being violent, then the event being protested is not dampened in its effect by the protest.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
Unrelated, but, what do you know…there’s been an election called for next month…
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:23 am
Jon: That’s true, but from my perspective, if the goal is to keep the peace and not “throw the cops under the bus” then inciting violence does not make sense. I think what you’re saying makes absolute sense; if you can portray the thoughtful protesteros as “mindless thugs then perhaps it’s mission accomplished. I think I was just one coffee away from understanding that the real reason might be more sinister.
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Damn…I have been a member for a week and I never intended on learning so much about America….the music of one of my Favorite songwriters brought me here, who was Canadian the last I checked…so Im assuming the centre-mass of American content means Matt has moved south…….I didnt know that. I suppose thats what happens when u write awesome music.
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
[quote comment="63656"]Unrelated, but, what do you know…there’s been an election called for next month…[/quote]
Yes….. isn’t it odd that Mr Harper himself pushed to have legislation ensuring fixed election dates back in 2006 so that no one could “manipulate the calendar”?
http://repliderium.com/crap/harper-to-call-for-fall-election/
Hmmm… correct me if I’m wrong but said fixed election date shouldn’t be until Oct 19, 2009……
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
The riot prevention forces always make me remember the end of “The Clockwork Orange” - Alex’s droogs did end up us policemen…
Not much too say here other then - predictable.
So, still journalism related: in Russia, owner of opposition site Ingushetia.ru, a site that covers corruption of regional government and that is somewhat similar to DemicracyNow was killed in police custody. Just to remind to some of you (no offence) Ingushetia is a part of Russia and is located in North Caucasus. He was being transported as a witness to one of the innumerable criminal offenses that occur in the region. Investigation is to follow (smirk).
Also, according to Russian publications, over 500 U.S. soldiers have died in Afghanistan - another milestone reached.
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
nobody is safe
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultraviolence.”
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
[quote comment="63678"]“The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom, which is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultraviolence.”[/quote]
Nothing like a little “clockwork” to brighten the day!
September 2nd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
It’s so sickening that Americans actually DON’T appear to have the right to assembly as it so written, oh so many moons ago when you consider the actions of police in recent public protests. I really love independent media just for this reason, although it’s maddening to see such definance of America’s “founding doctrines.” Right to assemble, whatever. I guess they have the right to STFU.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
The word that this Administration has made acceptable is “preemptive”. Through the clever manipulation of the Vice-President’s office, the state has gained the power for preemptive action. If the path of America’s future leads to McCain, we can expect this power to grow.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I am disgusted at how they treated these people. I am Ashamed to be an American, the twin cities used to be one of my favorite places. But now all I see is the police brutality that is taking over the US.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Let the coppers do their job.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Loss of liberty, loss of habeas corpus, stolen elections, false intelligence, invading other nations, lying to congress, a shame of an investigation, trillions of dollars just” missing” from the Pentacon, tens of thousands of innocent lives taken, rescue worker’s being lied to about the quality of air they were breathing, insurance fraud, and on and on and on…..
Nobody seems to notice, nobody seems to care……
The one’s trying to fight these issue’s are either labelled “nutjobs” or “conspiracy junkies” etc, etc….
Though the real issue’s lay with the Congress woman’s daughter being pregnant at 17. Better yet , Hanna Montana showing here bare back in a fuckin photo!! Or Brad’s ready for more kid’s!!
Simply dumbfounded!
This happens more regular than one may think. On a daily basis there are authority figure’s abusing there power’s all over the “”FREE”" Nations….
It sometimes passes through my brain the question of just” what the hell are people really doing”?? Are most just merely sleep walking, do they really just “don’t care”???
Things like this, http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/
and this http://www.mpwhi.com/main.htm
and people just think that the power’s that be have YOUR best interest in there agendas, i mean seriously!!!
Here’s a Cop getting it back !!
http://blip.tv/file/1225143/
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:06 am
[quote comment="63690"]The word that this Administration has made acceptable is “preemptive”. Through the clever manipulation of the Vice-President’s office, the state has gained the power for preemptive action. If the path of America’s future leads to McCain, we can expect this power to grow.[/quote]
Yes, because McCain is quite obviously a clone of George W…
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 am
Alarming this is…..
What’s going to be even more alarming are the PARDON”S given out by G.W.Bush leaving office. If infact
he DOES leave office……hmmmm???
September 4th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I’m not ok with this.