Rage Against The RNC

From the website of A.N.S.W.E.R.:

http://answer.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_homepage

Send a Letter Demanding the St. Paul Government Release All Protesters!

The police have engaged in a widespread riot against social justice organizations, resulting in the arrest of around 300 protesters. Most of the arrested are still in jail, and at least one person with a serious medical condition has been refused care.

Even before the RNC began, protest organizing centers were raided. Armed groups of police in the Twin Cities have raided more than half-a-dozen locations since Friday night in a series of “preemptive raids." The raids and detentions have targeted activists planning to protest the convention, including journalists and videographers from I-Witness Video and the Glass Bead Collective. These media organizations were targeted because of the instrumental role they played in documenting police abuses the 2004 RNC. Their comprehensive video coverage helped more than 400 wrongfully arrested people get their charges thrown out.

Democracy Now! producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar—who clearly identified themselves as members of the media—were arrested, and face suspicion of rioting charges, a felony. When Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! went to the scene to inquire with a police commander about the arrest of her producers, she too was arrested. A CodePink march and several breakaway marches were also met with police repression. Tear gas and concussion grenades have been used to disperse crowds.

There is an undeniable pattern of police repression at these conventions. In 2004, 1,500 protesters were arrested at the RNC. Subsequent litigation on behalf of the protesters revealed that national and local enforcement conspired to deny protesters their civil liberties and civil rights. Protesters were held in miserable conditions, and only mass pressure forced the police to release them.

Please take a moment and click this link to send a letter to Chris Coleman, the mayor of St. Paul, demanding that all protesters and social justice organizers be released, and that all charged be dropped.

The real criminals are the "law enforcement" authorities, who have systematically violated the free speech rights of protesters, and in more than a few cases carried out physical abuse.

This report was filed with information provided by John Beacham of the ANSWER Coalition.

What is with the State of the Police?!?

Phi is not the only fruit.

I was at the RNC in Minneapolis. I was at the DNC in Denver for that matter... and the vibe was definitely different in the two cities.

In Denver, the city was electric... people were full of hope and energy. Thousands of visitors flocked the streets, and residents seemed glad to have them. There was an air of public participation, as interviews were filmed on the street at major intersections. The city lent out free bikes the whole week, and there were tons of free, public events.

In Minneapolis, the vibe was much different. Local residents and businesses didn't really take ownership of the event... and there weren't opportunities for the public to interact with the convention. No one really seemed to care about the RNC. The event did not inspire hope or joy. In fact, there was an air of negativity , a sense the people wanted to ignore the red elephant in the city. Crazily, two fights broke out after a jam band after show on Tuesday night... come on, hippies fighting?

Two events that I attended, a pro-union concert rally on Harriet Island and the Sustainable Living Roadshow on the Capitol lawn, both drew more participants than the Republican National Convention. I am sure the protest march did as well.

It's clear there is no public support for the Republican agenda.

America needs change. Yes?

But change will not come by fighting amongst ourselves and excluding some members of our society... including the PO-lice!

Someone (like me :) should set the record straight about the Rage show... I was there... it was a lovely day, a little windy and drizzly... but thousands of people were gathered on the capitol lawn for a free concert, some environmental and political education, and the creation of a giant peace mandala.

It was sweet.

Of course, the police were there, with their guns and their zip-tie-handcuffs... some struggling to bike on the wet grass. Some of them even visited the booths. Most were bored, and a little uncomfortable. But noone was fighting. No one.

Bands played all day-- Michael Franti, Matisyahu, Wookie Foot, Sweet Snacks... and then Rage Against the Machine gets up there and starts chanting "Fuck the Po-lice, Fuck the Po-lice."

Why?

What the fuck were the police doing?

It was a pretty banal thing to do.

This was at 6:30, half an hour before the events noise permit (or whatever) expired... and sure enough, the police pulled the plug.

Hey, tensions come to a head.

Then Rage starts singing acapella, which is cool, except they still have this negative, hateful energy... kinda like some other groups I know...

And I couldn't help thinking, man, these guys need to EVOLVE. Hate is not going to get us anywhere.

Then, the formerly peaceful crowd starts swarming over to the police cars at the far side of the lawn... See how shit escalates?

Then, at about 7 o'clock, the protest march of thousands more people arrives at the lawn... and you can tell maaaad people - on both sides - are looking for action... or should i say 'reaction.'

why? because pro-action and unity are too hard?

Me and the SLR people were breaking down our tents, like normal, and giving shelter to some mothers with young children, and the protesters marched on to who knows where.

I have been in some few protest marches, and I still wonder what they accomplish?

It's the follow up that gets things done::: community building, community re-building. Get to know your neighbors. Get to know your cops! You'll find they're not all bad.

This society, this new America, whatever we dream-make-create it to be, needs to be for everyone from everyone with everyone.

no hate just love