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In MN, Massive Police Raids On Suspected Protestors
X0563511 alerts us to events in Minneapolis and St. Paul in advance of the Republican convention (which has been put on hold because of Hurricane Gustav). Local police backed by the FBI raided a number of homes and public buildings and confiscated computers and other material. From Salon.com: "Last night, members of the St. Paul police department and the Ramsey County sheriff's department handcuffed, photographed and detained dozens of people meeting at a public venue to plan a demonstration, charging them with no crime other than 'fire code violations,' and early this morning, the Sheriff's department sent teams of officers into at least four Minneapolis area homes where suspected protesters were staying. Jane Hamsher and I were at two of those homes this morning — one which had just been raided and one which was in the process of being raided." Here is local reporting from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "Aided by informants planted in protest groups, authorities raided at least six buildings across St. Paul and Minneapolis to stop an 'anarchist' plan to disrupt this week's Republican National Convention. From Friday night through Saturday afternoon, officers surrounded houses, broke down doors, handcuffed scores of people and confiscated suspected tools of civil disobedience ... A St. Paul City Council member described it as excessive, while activists, many of whom were detained and then released without charges, called it intimidation designed to quash free speech."
The chuckleheads with the rifles aside, there were Republican protests at the Democratic convention, why weren't they arrested and photographed? The same thing happened in '04. The FBI started intimidating political activists. And now we find out the FBI was behind the raids in St. Paul.
There have been rumors going back a long way that Rove had friendlies in the FBI that were using police powers in primarily political investigations.
Don't forget that a lot of /. readers supported this administration and are, at least in my mind, partially responsible for the thuggish, heavy-handed tactics our government feels it can employ with near impunity. Guess you could call it trickle down stupidity. But many of you voted for the bozos at the top. If they keep to their usual form they'll either blame the victims or blame Clinton.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
good,great, arrest all these villianess scum. protesters?free speach? there own press releases state that they only intend to disrupt and prevent law abibing citezens from cunducting lawful activities. if any of these save the world from the evil republican types had a ounce of intestinal fortitude they'ed be in iraq building houses and teaching children. and when they were done there the could do the whole world a favor and stop off in the former soviet union,china and india and clean up some landfills,and create some nature reserves. yes i protested the vietnam war and had my hair down to my ass regards mike 53 year life long resisdent of saint paul,minnesnowda uffda!
All right, this is a complete straw man. The citizens in MN had not done anything yet. If they had started violence, than yes, it's the police's job to protect the other citizens. At the moment though, they were innocent. Innocent until proven guilty or intimidated until proven guilty?
As someone mentioned above, it's enablers like you who keep this sort of thing hush hush. So in conclusion, sir: fuck you.