Police Gas Docile Crowd Outside the RNC = PHOTO ESSAY

[L. Coyote]

Police Gas Docile Crowd Outside the RNC
Lindsay Beyerstein - Sept 3, 2008 - http://cliffschecter.firedoglake.com/2008/09/03/police-gas-docile-crowd-at-rnc/


Fair Use cited.

ST. PAUL, MN. Sept 2, 2008. - Police officers used tear gas on a peaceful crowd that was following instructions in St. Paul on Tuesday evening. In an overwhelming show of force, well over a hundred riot police locked down 7th Street between Wabasha and St. Peter, surrounded protesters in the Poor People's March, media, and bystanders and then proceeded to launch several cannisters of tear gas after the crowd was hemmed in.

The police were clearly in a nasty mood. Shortly before the tear gas started flowing an officer on horseback made his horse lunge at me to force me off a concrete median. The traffic island was public property and nobody said anything to indicate it was off limits. If he'd asked me to move, I would have done so immediately. Luckily, since the intersection was locked down, there weren't any cars coming.

I stress that this wasn't a loud boisterous march like yesterday's, it was just a crowd of about 100 people walking calmly down the street. I wasn't even sure they were demonstrating until I looked at my pictures and saw that some were carrying signs. I remember calling my editor from the scene to tell her that I couldn't see any protesters. Actually, I was looking at them the whole time, they were just very subdued.

The police gradually locked down the intersections on either side, and a number of neighboring intersections as well. They started to push the protesters back down the block. The group backed up. Suddenly, there were at least two very loud explosions and multiple cannisters of tear gas were deployed. I think the noise might have been concussion grenades. .............

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PHOTO ESSAY: RNC Security Cracks Down On Poor People's March
http://cliffschecter.firedoglake.com/2008/09/03/police-gas-docile-crowd-at-rnc/

A huge police presence cracked down on peaceful protesters late Wednesday afternoon, probably to clear the streets for Joe Lieberman's big speech at the Republican National Convention.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Poor People's March was joined by a spontaneous march lead by members of the band Rage Against the Machine, whose concert near the State Capitol had been canceled by police.

For reasons that I don't fully understand, the police suddenly tear gassed a whole block of people who were following their instructions and not acting the least bit threatening or disruptive.

Protesters and journalists weren't the only people on the street. ..........

[RufusTFirefly]

1. WTF? Even if it were "loud and boisterous" that shouldn't matter.

The fact that this march was peaceful and calm only underscores another outrageous violation of the First Amendment.

[panader0]

2. How many arrests were made at the DNC?

I can't believe the difference in the conventions.

[Bob Dobbs]

3. Between 300 and 400 arrests in Denver.

Several instances of pepper spraying, no tear gas was ever used in Denver.

The police used intimidation and provocation but there were no black ops in the anarchists doing any property damage (I was on the lookout for them with my documentary camera) and there was only one pre-emptive raid on organizers.

The police riots in St. Paul are radically different than the mere intimidation we saw in Denver. It was bad enough here, with the absurdly over equipped, militarized police force (that we will have to endure going forward here in Denver) but nothing like St. Paul.

[L. Coyote]

5. What is the politics of the chain-of-command in St. Paul?

Police chief, mayor, .... all the way up to Chertoff and Bush?

[hootinholler]

7. This shit is being coordinated by the JTTF

Nothing like a little hoeland security enforcement.

This needs investigation by congress.

-Hoot

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Faux News reporters were embedded with the Police

According to report on Democracy Now, 20 minutes ago.
They have video coverage of the protests, and video was taken of a blond woman identified as Fox reporter, standing behind several police.
Check out democracynow.org site, it may be there.

Makes things even more scary, doesn't it???

[L. Coyote]

6. Well, they are in the chain-of-command already!

:rofl:

[ColbertWatcher]

8. Great pics, kudos to the photographer. k+r, n/t

[Stardust]

9. Left a message at Mayor Chris Coleman's office 651-266-8510. "This has got to stop!

These protesters have a constitutional right to demonstrate. Looks very, very bad for St. Paul" etc, etc.

This really pisses me off. I want my country back.

[TexasObserver]

10. These assholes are going to find out what it feels like to be sued.

Wait until they find out what a subpoena means when it comes for their personnel records, their records of infractions. Wait until they spend 2-3 years being deposed, having their superiors deposed, producing their personal information and records, which will be spread throughout the blogosphere.

Their kids will be able to look up the lawsuit against Daddy the Brownshirt Cop online and read what a really no good bastard he really is.

Long after the last protester's case has been dismissed, these cops will be looking at video in a deposition starring THEM, explaining why they were hitting this person or spraying that one.

Too many police think they ARE the LAW. They find out differently when they get sued in federal court.

[windoe]

11. Maybe reporters should carry a faux FOXNews ID for protection

I wish a FOX reporter would get caught up in this mess, that would be great.