Amy Goodman Violently Arrested Today at RNC

Story from Democracy Now site:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Democracy Now Site

September 1, 2008

Contact:
Dennis Moynihan
Mike Burke

ST. PAUL, MN--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. Video of her arrest can be seen here.

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman's office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amenmdent rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.

Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar is a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists from the nation's leading independent news outlet.

Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

THIS IS FROM ALLISON KILKENNY'S
UPDATE:

Goodman was arrested along with Democracy Now producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. As of 9:15 PM EST, the Ramsey County jail has charged Goodman with "conspiracy to riot" and released her, but is still detaining Kouddous and Salazar. No charges have been pressed against them.

Laurie, the phone operator at the County Jail says she "hopes charges will be presented within the hour." As of right now, Kouddous and Salazar are being held without charges.

9:50 PM EST: Kouddous and Salazar are still being held without charges. Laurie, the operator, now expects a few hours to expire before they are officially charged with a crime. She claims the slow process is due to an unusually high number of arrests coupled with many detainees using pseudonyms. More than 100 people were arrested along with Goodman and her producers.

Early reports indicate Kouddous and Salazar were originally arrested on suspicion of rioting .

11:00PM EST: The Ramsey County Jail redirected me to something called the "Joint Information Center." Under a little pressure, the operator finally revealed his name (Sgt. William Palmer,) though he asked for my name (had me spell it twice) and asked for my phone number in exchange. Friendly stuff.

Palmer informed me that Kouddous and Salazar will be held in jail overnight until they are taken to court tomorrow. No one knows what they are being charged with, but Palmer attributes their arrest to "suspicious behavior."

Kouddous and Salazar are still being held without any formal charges.

11:33PM: Kouddous and Salazar have been released. Sgt. William Palmer called me back and said they have been released with "Pending complaints," which essentially means they were not charged while in custody, but may yet be charged with some felony at a later date.

12:00AM: Democracy Now! has posted this update:

Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC

Goodman Charged with Obstruction; Felony Riot Charges Pending Against Kouddous and Salazar

ST. PAUL--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.

All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar's violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, "I'm Press! Press!," resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman's arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.

On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on: www.democracynow.org

Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a "peace officer."

Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.

Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities' law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.

Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists.

Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

Mayor Chris Coleman can be contacted at: 651-266-8510 or e-mailed at: https://mn-stpaul.civicplus.com/forms.asp?FID=69
Governor Tim Pawlenty can be reached at: [phone] or e-mailed at [e-mail]
Ramsey County Jail: 651-266-9350

Comments

[BlackEcho]

URGENT! :

PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS ARE NEEDED for Amy and the 2 DN! producers. Please send copies (CC:) of your emails to Democracy Now!:

Tell SUSAN GAERTNER not to press charges against Democracy Now! producers Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Email Attorney Gaertner at: [e-mail] AND call Ms. Gaertner at 651-266-3222, [phone], and/or [phone]

ALSO ask Attorney JOHN CHOI to drop Amy's charges. Email Mr. Choi at: john.choi@­ci.stpaul.­mn.us & CALL him at [phone]

* Please SEND COPIES of emails to > cc: dropthecha­rges@democ­racynow.or­g

[per Democracy Now! web site posting: Wednesday, September 3 3:30 pm EDT. Still posted September 4.]

peace...and justice, Black Echo

[websnapper]

Amy Goodman was in the line of fire. If she didn't want to be manhandled she should of stayed home! Police were just doing their job!

[misspronounced]

this is just further evidence of a frightening trend:

http://www.pushback.org/2008/09/03/press-arrested-in-st-paul/

[Logicnotfaith]

Today 300 arrested including 100 felony arrests in violent riots, wow you peace loving lefties really know how to exercise your "freedom of speech" rights

[gorideabike]

Open your eyes. When the police arrest people who are not breaking the law, and make up charges later at their leisure, they could just as well be arresting you. Do you think a cop won't walk up and commit perjury in front of a grand jury just to get you indicted on a felony? It's part of his job. You might beat the rap with a good criminal lawyer who will bill you $250.00 an hour, if you have enough cash to pay a hefty retainer up front. Or you might rely on a public defender and go to jail on a plea agreement. Either way you will be a victim. OR You might just be a rich and powerful person and tell the fuzz to buzz off. Justice tends to slide down the economic gradient.
Oh, it couldn't happen to you because you would never go near a political convention anyway, right? Wake up! If the cops can do it there, they can do it anywhere. And they do.
Real life is quite different from your law and order teevee shows.

[LightningJoe]

You don't get it, Logicnotfaith. You are still working from the assumption that the cops are always right. It's just not so.

Our courts (are supposed to) operate on the assumption of innocence, but cops and prosecutors emphatically do not. Cops operate on the assumption of guilt, taking people into custody on the slightest of "provocations" -- such as asking the officer what the problem is. Try that sometime, when your own friend is being put into handcuffs.

I know better. I don't deal with the cops in any fashion but yassuh! I do what I want; I just make sure to do it out of range of cop-eyes. When they are in the neighborhood, I'm all smiles and cooperation. It's sad that one needs to act this way, just to be left alone, and it's sad that people like you seem willing to accept the presence of this sort of endemic oppression in their lives.

What happened to freedom? Or have you already mentally sold it, to buy yourself some well-constrained "security?"

[nodumblonde]

quit attacking logicnotfaith.
no need to write persuasive essays on a comment.

[ashabot]

Logicnotfaith, in a fascist state people are guilty until proven innocent. In a democracy they are innocent until proven guilty. Which side are you on?

[katok]

Maybe the Police will take a different tact if the people who fund their salaries stop paying. Did they sign up as Police Offficers to abuse power, or to "Protect and Serve" the citizenry. If their is one honest man among them he would get his fellow officers to put down their batons and return to their regular duties. Allowing the Republicans to freely move amongst the people they have served so well. Surely thay are not threatened by the people that they are "representing"

[LITU]

Not very eloquent, but quite germane. Thanks.

[wxman]

Never Ever Ever Ever forget this! K-A-R-M-A-!

[BassMent]

There's so much about this story that I just don't understand. What the heck is "conspiracy to riot," and how can it apply to a couple of journalists covering a protest march? And how can Kouddous and Salazaar be held when no charges have been brought against them? Doesn't DemocracyNow have lawyers? Has Bush's elimination of habeas corpus for "enemy combatants" been extended to journalists?

[LondonTownNY]

Americans have every reason to be nervous. Watch shocked me was the militaristic show of force on the streets outside the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. It looked like something from one of Alex Jones's Prison Planet Videos. Young people were standing around, milling about while guards with machine guns were tossing tear gas into crowds to disperse. Since when in America is organized demonstration against the law? Something very disturbing is going on in America, when peacefully organizing and demonstrating puts you at risk of being physically assaulted by your government. Wake up America.

[LITU]

Under H i t l e r, Germany was given nearly free rein to take control of neighboring countries because the elitists in Europe didn't want another confrontation like the 1914 fiasco. So they capitulated in hopes that the guy would stop his aggression. H i t l e r read it as a license and the rest is history.

The A m e r i c a of the past 28 years closely parallels those times, as the m e d i a is used to quash dissent of the c o r p o r a t i s m on display.

The good news is eventually all h e l l will break loose, and the world as we've known it will disappear. The bacteria will then be free to go on with their brief lives.

[samfan]

No mention on corporate media at all, you would think they'd stick up for there own. I guess there a bunch of wimps. I see that FOX news is now imbedding there journalists with the police. Welcome to the twilight zone.

[RobinLandseadel]

Amy Goodman is not corporate media.

Get it?

[BassMonk]

She's not 'one of their own'. She's a REAL journalist.

[realpolitic]

You notice how all the conservatives on this site back violent suppression of dissent. It is a very sad comment on them!

[Chavez08]

Remember when we were a Free Country?

[rwe]

Who is she to confront and demand answers of two arrested suspects in a riot situation? Is she their attorney? They were all LAWFULLY detained

[Chavez08]

Das Fuhrer will be proud of you for your loyalty. Want to guard the trains?

[nodumblonde]

Absolutely right.
Amy Goodman had no right to go and get two suspects who were already detained on a FELONY!

[jackstpaul]

As far as who's giving the orders here, we locals here heard long ago that it was going to be the feds calling the shots. Secret Service.

One of my sister's best friends is Asst. Police Chief in St. Paul, that's what she said to my sis, too. They have her at the airport running things there, so that's pretty telling.

You have St. Paul and Ramsey County with jurisdiction over St. Paul and the County, but they've contracted with cops from all over for the Convention. A friend said he saw a Philly cop.

Not a lot of accountability in St. Paul for a Philly cop.

[NowNow]

Good Point. The locals are not in charge of this operation. The Feds infiltrate protest groups and try to shut them down before the day of the event. Also, is it possible that undercover police are dressing up like protesters, smashing windows in front of cameras, then using that to justify excessive use of force? This is like Philadelphia only turned up a notch.

[BadChristian]

I saw cops from Iowa, Arizona, Texas and Missouri. Never seen so many cops in my life. Those are just the ones in uniforms that have their States marked on their shoulders.

[micmac]

If she did not get arrested she would not be getting this attention. I would like to hear ALL of the facts.

[111]

Amy Goodman gets quite a bit of attention for her work as a journalist and author in addition to her daily news show that is broadcast over radio, television and the internet.

The facts are out there - if you are really interested why don't you go look.

[jbd]

democracynow.org