50,000 expected to protest RNC

[tekisui]

If you thought protests outside 2008's Democratic National Convention were loud and proud, you ain't seen nothing yet. So say organizers preparing for the 2008 Republican National Convention, set to take place in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Organizers estimate 50,000 protesters are getting ready to demonstrate outside the RNC, in the largest anti-war protest planned so far this year.

"We have word that people are coming on busses and carpools, people are flying in from all over the country," said Katrina Plotz, an organizer for an RNC protest group. "We are expecting the police to uphold our right to demonstrate, to speak out against the war."

AP Correspondent Haven Daley said in a Wednesday news video that it may be difficult keeping the protests peaceful, attributing his ominous prediction to "anarchist groups" which were not named.

"We're aware of the other tactics that the other groups are doing, so we're trying to reschedule around those different activities," said Code Pink activist Nancy Mancias.

St. Paul police have prepared an open-air prison, similar to those employed by the New York City police in 2004, and the Denver police during the 2008 DNC. The facility is capable of holding hundreds for an unknown amount of time.


http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Protestors_prepare_for_Republican_convention_0828.html

[pleah]

1. K&R for the 50,000! I'm rooting for them. n/t

[Divernan]

2. There will be more people protesting outside than participating inside!

Given the number of GOP officials who are finding reasons that they can't attend their own convention this year.

[maseman]

3. Of course you'll never see it on MSNBC, CNN of Fox News

[npincus]

4. Man, I wish I could be one of them!

[MrScorpio]

5. How many protesters were at the DNC?

I have no idea as I watched the whole thing on C-Span

[unhappycamper]

6. There's a few stories about the protests on the IVAW homepage:

http://ivaw.org/

[WinkyDink]

13. Where is the "loud" part?

[yellowdogintexas]

10. same here. But I wish I could be there to add to the numbers nt

[barack the house]

7. This makes me more pleased the GOP have the greater destructive intent.-->

Their protests are far more deserved towards the Republicans, I know our side has faults but I feel our side has the intent to do good.

[theoldman]

8. Not only will there be protesters, Gustaf will rain on their parade.

I think the convention will be delayed due to the worries about a repeat of Katrina.

[tekisui]

9. I think the Convention will be delayed because no pukes really

want to go. They will use Gustav as the reason, and secretly wipe their brow in relief.

[dontforgetpoland]

11. Not to mention Ron Paul is having his mock convention there as well.

Any chance the media will cover this the same way they cover the few PUMAs at the Dem convention?

[pamela]

17. Good question.

I've been wondering the same thing. Why aren't we hearing more about Ron Paul and his voters? McCain had TWO very dissatisfied voting blocks, fundies and the libertarian-leaning Goldwater conservatives. Palin satisfies the former but what about the latter?

[WinkyDink]

12. "...protests outside 2008's Democratic National Convention were loud and proud"....WHAT??

I have no idea what you are talking about.

[tekisui]

18. I'm just linking to a story.

I guess the protesters in Denver thought they were loud and were proud.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Bush will soon be out of office. Massive, violent protests at the RNC will only hurt our party--

unless you are not really Democrats. As the always sharp Congressman Barney Frank said to Bill Maher at the convention in Denver, when he whined about Obama's moving to the middle, "You kinda gotta get elected."

Keep your eyes on the prize. The media will focus on the demonstrators, not the boring Republican convention--even with McCain's crazy VP pick.

Do not give people a reason to vote for McCain!

[genna]

15. Disagree! Protest is patriotic. N/T

[flpoljunkie]

16. That is not my point. The RNC is neither the time or place for effective protest of Iraq war.

That time has passed. Bush and Cheney are almost out of office. Let them be tried in The Hague for war crimes when they leave office. Let them be fearful of leaving the country they betrayed on so many levels.

We do not want to play into the hands of our clueless and corrupted corporate media and hurt all that we achieved this past week with a great convention in Denver.

The blame for massive and violent demonstrations would somehow be put at the foot of our party, our nominee. Is this what you wish to achieve? I don't think so.