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Police Overwhelm Protesters
Hundreds of Peaceful Protesters Arrested, Gassed and Pelted with Rubber Bullets

Monday, Labor Day, hundreds of protesters marched on the Republican National Convention (RNC) in an un-permitted march in the streets of Minneapolis; among them, Amy Goodman of DemocracyNOW. The group may have been motley looking; but, also diverse, peace-minded and energized. Jonathan Williams, our SPAN Coordinator, and his friend Kari were on the sidewalk during the protest to document and bear witness to events as they unfolded.

AP Photo of the Police

Police, in full riot gear, converged on the protesters; first pushing the large crowd into smaller and smaller areas of the street. Tensions rose and police targetedindividuals from the group pulling them by the limbs and beating them with wooden batons before arresting them. Jonathan and Kari stood on the public sidewalk, away from the activity, to gather contact information from activists as one after another was arrested for engaging in spontaneous protest.

The March of the Dead

Tension between the two groups rose as activists attempted to avoid arrest. The police set off gas bombs in the crowd and shot rubber bullets, a sometimes lethal police tactic, to overpower the crowd. Jon and Kari took cover and headed down the sidewalk away from the confusion. After walking for blocks down the protest route they encountered another police blockade.

This photo was recovered from Jonathan's
camera before he was arrested.
It shows journalists being herded
and arrested by police.

They were herded into the protest crowd and arrested on the spot. Neither had engaged in any protest activity that day. They were targeted because they were fit a profile the police had determined to be a threat before the RNC even began.

Days earlier the police raided the public meeting spaces of the RNC Welcoming Committee; a local, a-political, activist group which has been working for two years in the open to provide housing, medical, legal and other support to protesters this week. According to Andrew Willis Garcés, a trainer at the RNC, "The sheriff's favored intimidation tactic seems to be handcuffing, searching and detaining mass numbers of people in private residences, then letting them go."

The mainstream media has tried to pigeon hole these young people into one stereotype or another. In reality, the diversity of the group defines convention: feminists, college students, environmentalists, anarchists, computer geeks, democrats, bikers, socialists, and soccer players. The only thing that unites most of the group is a desire to end the occupation of Iraq and hold their elected officials accountable.

This is Jon, just before he was
arrested on the sidewalk for taking
the pictures you see here.

Over 300 activists were formally arraigned on Tuesday with charges that included felonies and misdemeanors. In all the confusion establishing truth from fiction will be difficult; in the process of determination many activists are in danger of state oppression. There are a handful of activists who have not been given access to proper medical care or their prescribed medicines. Peace Action stands in solidarity with our co-worker and everyone else arrested in Minneapolis as they sit in the holding cell. We hope you will stand with him and all the protesters arrested at the RNC.

We’re working with a legal collective called ColdSnap Legal Collective. We’re supporting their efforts to support jailed activists. Call the Ramsey County Jail and the mayor and demand that all arrested receive proper treatment and access to medical services. Remind them, too, that free speech is an American tradition.The activists should be immediately released and all erroneous charges should be dropped.

Ramsey County Jail -- 651.266.9350
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman -- 651.266.8510
Ramsey County Sheriff's office -- 651.487.5149
Prosecutors Office -- 651.266.9350