Anarchist Protest At Republican Convention Gets Violent

MINNEAPOLIS -- Police arrested protesters near the St. Paul convention site this afternoon and blocked off pedestrian and car traffic into the city center for at least an hour.

While the remains of a peaceful protest parade swirled around one closed road after another, growing increasingly frustrated that they weren't able to get back to their houses and cars, one officer told me that "anarchists" a few blocks away had been causing trouble -- throwing bricks and breaking people's property.

Another reporter confirmed there had been a violent demonstration comprised primarily of young, shirtless men with bandanas over their faces. The reporter had observed a neatly stacked pile of bricks and some broken glass.

By the time I was able to show my press badge to get past the line of armed guards, two protesters were face down on the street with their hands tied behind their back, and another two were sitting against a brick wall. About a dozen police officers, some in riot gear, waited with them until an ambulance arrived. Up and down the streets -- virtually deserted except for media -- groups of other uniformed officers, presumably on stand-by, waited to learn what was next.

The arrests and intense police response, reported as including bikes and horses, seemed yet another upset to the Republican convention. In addition to the impending hurricane on the Gulf Coast, the disrupted schedule of speakers, and the potential imbroglio of Palin's pregnant daughter, the trouble downtown does not add any good news for the Republicans. Judging by the muttering of the hundreds of people who were unable to get downtown this afternoon, it doesn't endear them to the locals either.

• • •

Comments

[ekah]

Were any anarchists identified, taking credit??? Woman in bus worried about what might be in bag, yet police kept people on the bus. Did they already know what the bag was perhaps? Why did they allow the bus through with impending danger? Did they know it was safe? THINK

[leftie613]

Wait, this is the way you report on the protests? A few people broke some windows and that's your focus? THERE HAS BEEN MASSIVE POLICE REPRESSION GOING ON!! Nationally-known on-air host of "Democracy Now" Amy Goodman was arrested because she tried to talk to a cop about the arrest of her two producers! (with press credentials for the convention floor) An AP photog. was pepper-sprayed and arrested. DOZENS of journalists have been arrested, and the Sheriff boasted he would hold everyone for the length of the convention. Reporters Without Borders objects. FreePress.net has circulated a petition.

And pre-convention, there were raids on houses where no criminal activity was going on, people were accosted just walking quietly; cameras and computers have been seized. They are out to stop anyone from recording the abuses that apparently the police were planning against the protesters themselves. They have trampled on basic civil rights: including evicting peaceful activists camped out in the park and calling them "terrorists" and shutting down the Rage Against the Machine concert, which had a permit, by claiming it would start a riot. (By that logic they should also pre-empt sporting events.)

Police are not wearing their badges. They have been repeatedly violent in arresting non-violent protesters. There are photos online of a 17-year old boy who was beaten up by 5 police officers. They've turned tear gus, rubber pellets, pepper spray, concussion grenades and smoke bombs on crowds.

[Rhettron]

That is all typical riot response. If some anarchist kid makes the choice to join in on a riot then he should be prepared to face the concequences. Rioting can get out of hand quickly if it isn't stifled right away, so I applaud those officers for keeping law and order in St. Paul.

[blue meanie]

I saw the coverage on Democracy Now! and one serious question or concern came immediately to mind: why weren't the press better identified -- say, with an obvious picture I.D. worn around the neck? In other words, why should members of the media have had to produce and then display an I.D. in a riot sitiation? Seems to me, someone dropped the ball here, and that this should be a focus of some attention in order to prevent similar disturbing outcomes in the future.

[MagisterLudi]

"Anarchy, when it works to destroy authority in all its aspects;
when it demands the abrogation of laws and the abolition of the mechanism that serves to impose them;
when it refuses all hierarchical organization and preaches free agreement at the same time strives to maintain and enlarge the precious kernel of social customs without which no human or animal society can exist.
Only, instead of demanding that those social customs should be maintained through the authority of a few, it demands it from ceaseless action of all."

PETER KROPOTKIN, "Anarchism: Its Philosophy and Ideal"

[MagisterLudi]

Those who understand and practice anarchist political philosophy are anarchists. These people get my outpost respect.
Now If some kids want to throw some rocks at the cops after a few beers; great. But they not anarchist. Wearing a t-shirt with inverted pentagram and listening to old Rage Against the Machine mp3s does not make one an anarchist. Maybe someday....

[bluesqueezebox]

Agents provocateurs have been used throughout history to justify extreme measures by government forces, or to obfuscate potentially devastating political scandals. Whether or not the so-called anarchists that are commanding all the MSM attention on the streets of St. Paul are the latest example of this isn"t known, and will probably never be clear. What"s obvious is that the extreme right is once again being allowed to portray (and define in the MSM) all who oppose them as wild-eyed, dangerous freaks that deserve whatever happens to them.

[MagisterLudi]

At times, a rock is just a rock. And not always a tool of Imperialist stooges.
The problem has always been to have enough astuteness to decide which is which and which is when....

[jahzilla]

The Founding Fathers and Mothers would have made the Minneapolis "anarchists" look like BeanieBabies.

On the use of the misplaced and inflammatory description: "anarchists" . . .

When today's "respected journalists" are deemed as "qualified" by repeatedly trying to separate themselves from the other neophytes by hyper-cramming in the most absurd, sensationalistic tripe, in order to even hope to be "noticed" by the decision makers seeking to fill the "24 hour news cycle vacuum" (created by the advent of a glut-ridden cable-news competition (for advertising dollars), simply in the hope of making the leap from also-ran to that of multi-million dollar "celebrity", we, in true corporatist fashion, fall deeper into incredulity, as opposed to truth.

[MagisterLudi]

Those who understand and espouse anarchist political philosophy and understand its roots are anarchists. These people get my outpost respect.
Now If some kids want to throw some rocks at the cops after a few beers; great. But they not anarchist. Wearing a t-shirt with inverted pentagram and listening to old Rage Against the Machine mp3s does not make one an anarchist. Maybe someday....

[CelticMajic]

Just a question, in case anyone knows....why are these people wearing masks or face coverings. If they are so deeply committed to their cause, one would think they would be willing to be known?

[jackstpaul]

That's not about the "regular" protesters like, me, the people in the formal, permit-approved march. That's about the "anarchists doign there thing outside of the march, elsewhere. They were the violent ones, and even if not lawbreaking, they don't want to be ID'd by the cops for fear of future harassment and targeting. What I saw--almost being overrun by a group of anarchists fleeing police, were many or most who weren't covered.

The only people I saw covered up in the march itself were the group of anarchists, but most of them were elsewhere during the march.

Don't mistake the peaceful people from the radicals.

Tear gas.

I'm not part of them, but was about a block away from one incident, walking back to my DT apartment, and got struck by it downwind. Harsh stuff.

No, the anarchists don't want to be known--Duh, and esp. not in an age or pre-emptive police raids.

[Swerinjer]

Anarchists using the black bloc tactic wear masks for many reasons. The main one is the fact that the police videotape activists for their "Red" files. The police do this surveillance and information-gathering to frighten moderate activists from participation in protests and social struggle. The police do this even when there are laws against it (see red squads). Masks promote anonymity and egalitarianism. Instead of a "leader" yelling instructions to a protest group via a megaphone, those in the bloc make decisions among themselves. They also protect the identities of those who want to engage in illegal acts and escape to fight another day.

[UnbiasView]

Come on lefties, just claim these people. You know they are all Democrats and support your side . . . otherwise you might have seen them in Denver . . . bu you didn't.

[venice6]

THE MASSIVE PROTESTS AT THE 2008 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION ARE SIMILAR OF THE NIXON ERA. REVOLT THIS CORRUPT BUSH/MCCAIN ADMINISTRATION! WISH I WAS THERE SHUTTING DOWN THE REPUBLICAN'S EFFORT IN CONTINUING A DESTRUCTION OF OUR NATION
NO NIXON, NO BUSH NO MCCAIN!!!

[RowCropRenegade]

Whatever you want to call these people: Anarchists, Tools, Radical Lefties, Obama yo mama followers or down right idiots. Didn't see any of this nonsense going on the Democratic convention. The only true losers in this whole mess isn't the Republicans, its the store owners, small businesses and the city to pay for the damages. Protesting is an American right that everyone has a right to. But when damage is done, national attention is grabbed and the day is over... The true losers of this isn't the GOP, its the citizens of St. Paul and the tax dollars wasted controlling their childish and irresponsible behavior. Never see farmers acting like that, just spoiled, uneducated city brats.

Have A Great Day

[Chavez08]

Although I disagree with Anarchists ideology, I sure like their style!

[bayville]

Cops are thugs! They are the "anarchists". The GOP & their COPS have been looking for this fight for two years.

Now they get it. Thanks St. Paul.

[MagisterLudi]

You have no clue what anarchist means, do you? Anarchists are at the complete opposite of Republicans..... Read Bakunin, Emma Goldman and Kropotkin.

[bayville]

I would say the police were anarchists. They were looking for trouble. And when you are dumb, armed and in full riot gear - it is easy to find trouble.

[walk0nwalls]

We seriously need some "V" masks

[max]

idiots

[susanstudioz]

This is VERY scary, arresting "Anarchists".

My experiences in the 70"s are that, when belonging to an Anti-Nuke Group, we PROTESTED at Nuclear "Energy" sites that either were being built or were existing & spewed TOXIC radioactive wastes, radioactive "rods" stored on it"s property and/or were KNOWN for sloppy handling of it"s problems.

We, having the FREEDOM to protest had some hard-core facts available.

We learned, as part of our Protest Training, that we NEEDED to stay within our "Affinity Groups" BECAUSE it was common knowledge that the FBI & Other Homeland Spy Efforts sent THEIR Special Agents or RECRUITED Special Operators - to become involved in our events for the sole purpose of causing VIOLENCE.

We practiced how to conduct ourselves should an UNFAMILIAR person(s) try to become part of our Group. That"s how RESPONSIBLE our Movement was and I"m so glad we were. "VIOLENCE" broke out even w/our very good efforts NOT to let that happen. The violence did NOT come from our Affinity Groups, etc.

In the 1970"s, THAT was a very scary phenomenon. This is the phenomenon of OUR USA Government trying to disrupt our RIGHT to hold PEACEFUL demonstrations and to give our Movement a tarnished name.

That"s approximately 30 years of OUR Government refining their tactics. OUR Government MAY HAVE become even MORE sophisticated in the 3Plus decades since.

We citizens MUST become INVOLVED in OUR issues. Read, research, become ACTIVE in protecting our RIGHTS!