Amy Goodman released but protests against police conduct at Convention continue

Amy Goodman, producer and host of Democracy Now! has been released after being arrested yesterday while covering the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. Two of the show's producers and an Associated Press photogrepher were also arrested in separate incidents during protests that drew an estimated 10,000 people on the Convention's opening day.

The widely-circulated video of Goodman's arrest has infuriated free-press advocates who are circulating a petition demanding that charges against her and her colleagues be dropped.

First, here's the video of Goodman's arrest:

Goodman was arrested as she questioned police about the detention of her colleagues Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. DN reports that polices slammed Kouddos against a wall and pushed Salazar to the ground, injuring both journalists. Felony riot charges are said to be pending against the producers; Goodman faces charges of obstruction. AP photographer Matt Rourke, who photographed some of the violent clashes between police and small bands of protestors, was released Monday night without charge, according to multimedia journalist Carlos Miller.

Minneapolis police are under fire for their aggressive actions toward journalists and protestors even before the Convention began. For example, The Uptake has a report on an alleged police raid last Saturday on a house where Democracy Now! producer Elizabeth Press was staying. According to the report, police in riot gear burst through an attic to get find a room full of journalists.

Bloggers were out in full force during the protests. At Backyard Conservative, BlogHer CE Anne Leary captures the mostly peaceful tenor of the protests. Two members of The Uptake's staff were nearly arrested outside the Convention; you can also watch that report. Siun reported on the arrests for Firedoglake.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak issued a statement commending the Police Department for their actions before and during the Convention protests. He did not specifically address the detention of the journalists, but said that the raids on the houses produced a variety of items that could be used in acts of political violence or mischief. He also said the police actions during the demonstrations were justfied responses to the violence of a small number of protestors:

The Saint Paul police, supported by about 200 Minneapolis police
officers, did an excellent job of protecting demonstrators and the free
speech rights of everyone in downtown Saint Paul while also dealing
with those that were violent and destructive. This was a very
challenging day, but I was proud of the professionalism of our officers
in a very difficult situation.

At The Political Voices of Women, BlogHer CE Catherine Morgan was disturbed by the police actions:

Are we still living in The United States of America? Is it still the
land of the free? I’m a bit confused. Since when do we raid homes of
possible protesters, before they even have a chance to protest? Is it just me…Or is there something seriously wrong with this?

According to a MinnPost interview with Lucy Daiglish of the Reporters' Committe for Freedom of the Press, the actions by the Minneapolis police were par for the course:

"History tells me that all things being equal, when the police feel
intimidated by a situation, they will do exactly what they did and grab
people."

Daiglish added that when Goodman challenged the police officers who were arresting her colleagues, "That's precisely what we advise people not to do."

Still Jane Kirtley, a University of Minnesota journalism professor interviewed for an article accompanying Daiglish's interview called the arrests "very disappointing," and added, "The police should have been trained better."

Submitted by Kim Pearson (view blog

) on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 18:18

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Thanks for covering this...

...good to see these primary source links, if you look at The Uptake report you will see a decided lack of anarchist-like activity.

Tacoma Mama

Submitted by Tacomamama on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 15:43

Ok - you know me

I have to ask. I'm sorry. But you wrote here,

According to a MinnPost interview with
Lucy Daiglish of the Reporters' Committe for Freedom of the Press, the
actions by the Minneapolis police were par for the course:

"History tells me that all things being equal, when the police feel intimidated by a situation, they will do exactly what they did and grab people."

Now - I'm really not trying to be a pistol here, no pun intended - but this always confounds me - how is it atht hose police, with all the tools they have, not to mention training I would hope, versus the protesters, who are just being loud perhaps or pushy with their words and approaches, can actually make "police feel intimidated by a situation"?

I never, ever get this. What do they think is going to happen? Of course you do not want violence between anyone, from any side or party or group - but it keeps looking like the only ones engaging in violence are the police trying to shut down everyone.

Anyway - that's just how it looks. I can imagine that being there, that might be more cause fo concern, but still - I can't get the intimidation thing. How do they not think that they themselves, the police, are not intimidating enough?

Jill
Writes Like She Talks

Submitted by Jill Miller Zimon on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 16:12

Here is a video that

Here is a video that demonstrates what is being talked about. It'll make sense 16 seconds in.

I haven't been a cop, but I come from three generations of cops. I won't be an apologist for the actions of law enforcement who raided houses, etc. That, in my opinion, is completely out of bounds unless they had reason to believe that there was a plan to use deadly force.

Do I like how the cop is manhandling the protester in this video? No. Absolutely not. Could I see how it might happen? Sure. A cop makes an arrest, the suspect fights back or refuses to move peacefully, the crowd begins to close in, the cop has to make the decision to get the suspect and him/herself out of the middle of the crowd where other officers can handle the crowd. Or let the suspect go and signal to the crowd that the cops are not in control.

Should there have been many, many more cops there? Maybe.

Submitted by miteegirl on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 16:40

Police 'grab' people for a reason

Jill,

While I would say that most protestors are peaceful, it
just takes a few whackos to make for an unfortunate situation. It is
certainly possible for a crowd to converge on one or several police
officers, take an officer's gun from their holster, and begin a very
ugly situation. While I support the full punishment of any officers who
go too far, I also fully support those police who act accordingly and
do whatever is needed when they feel threatened or are protecting other
innocent people. It is real easy to judge an officer until you are put
in that situation. There is no reason for these idiots to be smashing
store windows, threatening officers and more. If people want to
demonstrate peacefully, that is great. When they cross the line, they
should be prepared to face the consequences.

dave

gocalifornia.blogspot.com

Submitted by davet. on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 22:26

Thank you for reporting this, Kim!

I encourage everyone to view today's Democracy Now. Amy Goodman isn't an anarchist, the journalists arrested clearly had press passes, and these passes, were illegally confiscated by unidentified men inside the holding cages of the warehouse, and the excessive force was thuggish and fascistic. Unfortunately this is nothing new. If you protest you are considered criminal by most of the police forces I've encountered. You can read about my arrest when I was covering the Raging Grannies attempt to enlist. That was three years ago. Tucson police were sent to Minneapolis to "help." Maybe these storm troopers were Tucson cops. The escalating mal-treatment of journalists is frightening. I believe it is imperative for women to become active if only by calling corporate media and demanding they cover this attack on the heart of America -- free speech and a free press.

Nancy

Build Peace
Virtuality
My Life As An Avatar

Submitted by artpax on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 17:09

Inside the convention halls

everything has been just peachy, and few people are reporting on what's happening outside. I'm glad to see the discussion moving to the activities outside as well as inside.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer Technology Contributing Editor
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

Submitted by Virginia DeBolt on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 05:21

Um. please

I have been mostly inside the convention center.

You've all seen the violent videos on the news. Or maybe not. Concrete thrown onto buses from an overpass which could have killed someone. It's happened before. Veterans kicked and beaten. Elderly delegates hurt.

I have sympathy for this person caught up in the melee.But I also feel for the cops who have been out now for the third day in a row in sweltering heat trying to keep the peace.

And I don't think hanging around people who wear black masks and espouse anarchy is ever a good idea.

Submitted by BackyardConservative on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 06:04

They are jailing journalists.

Ann, I don't think you get it. Journalists are not supposed to be jailed when they are covering a story. Do you understand what this means? This is an assault by "law enforcement" on the very laws that create our once great nation. I don't ever condone violence but I have to say I understand the perspective of most of the sides here except that of pre-emptive arrests and arresting the brave folks who are in the streets to report what they are seeing. That goes against everything that is at the heart of American Freedoms. As I said before in a post a couple of posts up, "Watch the Democracy Now program from yesterday." The arrest of many journalists that are clearly credentialed is a tactic in totalitarian states. If these members of the fourth estate are jailed who is to report the isolated violence against delegates? Attempts to intimidate free speech and journalism violates the First Ammendment guarantees of free speech and assembly.

Nancy

Build Peace
Virtuality
My Life As An Avatar

Submitted by artpax on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 07:31