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Amy Goodman Violently Arrested Today at RNC
Story from Democracy Now site:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 1, 2008
Contact:
Dennis Moynihan
Mike BurkeST. 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: (651) 296-3391 or e-mailed at tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us
Ramsey County Jail: 651-266-9350
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IMHO, these events had their genesis at the RNC in NY 4 years ago. Of the ~1500+ cases of arrests, 90% of them ended up being dismissed, or with ACDs and not guilty verdicts. I don't think it is a stretch to conclude that, with these current cases, a direct line can be drawn back to those cases.
Why? Police evidence and videos, was shown to be altered/ edited for their purposes.
Who had documentation and video evidence, contrary to the police's evidence? I-Witness
Who reported the stories and beat the drum for all to hear? Democracy Now! and Amy Goodman
That houses where I-Witness and Democracy Now! people were staying or convening to organize their efforts to document events and protests at this RNC, were raided, 'in advance of crimes that WOULD/ MIGHT be committed' is MUCH more than just coincidence or happenstance. (Kind of sounds like the fictional, "Minority Report"..eh?) This was a concerted effort by authoritities to intimidate people and oppress civil liberties, carried out by "peace officers" in military combat gear. We, the people are not the enemy anyone should be afraid of, a fascist government whose agenda is to silence the people is the enemy.
OUR CIVIL RIGHTS/ LIBERTIES ARE UNDER ASSAULT!
SUPPORT I-WITNESS AND DEMOCRACY NOW!..
http://www.democracynow.org/get_involved
http://iwitnessvideo.info/news/index.html#news-111
The Democracy Now website claims that the show producers were charged with felonies. This "over charging" is another classic move in terms of decision making between the DA's office and the City Attorney's office to negate any effective 1983 claims by the producers. Their 1983 claims are enhanced by police smashing news cameras. Smashing of cameras "ups the stakes" in a 1983 claim arising out of the First Amendment, thus the need for the felony charges. The best plea offer the DA will make is a reduction of felonies to misdemeanors and if they release their 1983 claims and waive case law saying such a release isn't enforceable..
What is particularly sickening about these policemen's conduct is that cops across the USA are commonly coached, in litigation avoidance seminars, that they are free to do just about anything to protesters as long as they do not cause bodily harm. The seminar instructors say plaintiffs lawyers will not take contingency fee "civil rights violation cases" which do not involve bodily harm, for which special damages are quantifiable as the basis for general and punitive damages. The trainers tell policemen that causing pain, tear gassing, and wrongful imprisonment do not produce damages which are quantifiable monetarily (like a doctor's bill). The message to the cops is "do what you want" to protesters as long as they will not be able to find a lawyer who will take the case on a contingency.
Having some familiarity with 42 U.S.C. 1983, based upon what I saw in the video clip, I would say that the Minneapolis police had no grounds to arrest her. I also noticed that she had her press credentials on throughout the beginning of the clip, but by the time she is shown walking near the police bus, the credentials are gone. Under 1983, the presence of her press credentials during her confrontation with the police makes the arrest all the more unlawful. Bottom line, it is unconstitutional to criminalize verbal conduct calling a policeman a pig, @sshole or whatever. It is similarly unconstitutional to criminalize assertive criticism of policemen. Goodman did nothing more.
However, given the standard strategy used by cities to defend 1983 claims, I expect that the City of Minneapolis will prosecute Goodman on the misdemeanor charge. They might even trump up a felony charge. I fully expect the policemen shown in the video clip to fabricate things they said to Goodman, and things she said and did, before the video starts. Those fabrications will be the basis of the prosecution. If the Minneapolis city attorney is feeling generous, he will "persuade" the District Attorney to drop the charges against Goodman in return for her releasing all claims under 42 U.S.C. 1983, and waiving her rights under case law which say that a wrongfully arrested person's release of 1983 claims is unenforceable. I don't know what Goodman will decide to do.
Did this arrest happen in Minneapolis or St. Paul? My local news said Minneapolis, but I don't know if that's true.
The arrest happened in St. Paul. There are police from many places in St. Paul for the convention. The Twin Cities metro is 3 million people, but St. Paul itself is only 300,000; Minneapolis is 400,000.
Any court stuff will happen in St. Paul/Ramsey County.
Read some Howard Zinn. His perspective on established American history--from the viewpoint of the victim--is a real eye-opener. Why is it that there' such a chasm between the history that's taught in high schools and that taught at the university level? Because the books for high schoolers are selected by the school board--usually comprised of local merchants and small-time politicos. Those books are meant to indoctrinate--not educate. Education frees the mind to think on its own; to make its own decisions. Why then is America's doffus population left control of educating our young? Is it any wonder that the better educated an individual is--the more they lean toward classical liberalism? Those who never thought past :"The American Experience" textbook in public school know nothing of American History. Learn how the corporations controlled the government and used police, national guard troops, and Pinkertons to intimidate, beat, and murder union organizers. Look way back before the 1960's. That was just a blip.
What if "suspicion of rioting" was a federal offense under the Patriot Act
What if the offense is deemed to be of a "national security concern"
What if the government classified the circumstances surrounding the incident "Classified information Proceedure Act" i.e. what evidence?? good luck trying to get it
What if Habeas Corpus doesn't apply until the war on ________ (fill in the blank) is won
Scary, huh
What if its you.
Not scary at all, it would be a way to weed out the dumbest of Americans. Those that don't have jobs and waste their time tipping over newspaper stands and breaking windows.
I thought that was what Religion was for, except they are encouraged to make more stupid copies of themselves.
If you think you're safe from fascism and a police state because you "follow the rules", then you're ignorant and short-sighted. The rules apply only so long as they serve the power structure.
By the time you figure out that they don't give a damn about you, it's too late....
T H I N K ! ! !
Unbiased, your posts do not show a good deal of education or intelligence for that matter.
The right-wingers have been pointing their fingers at the left calling us communist & fascist,however it has been this current administration that has presented the death of free speech on a golden platter.The cancellation of politically incorrect(Bill Rocks),the Dixie Chicks,& most notably the events of the past several days at the GOP that has defined fascism.I mean over the weekend they used 11 to 13 cop cars to pull over the peaceful protesters of the Earth Activist group & it did not appear that Goodman was doing anything illegal by crossing there imaginary line.She simply was trying to get her producers Kouddous & Salazar so she could finish what she came to do,cover this AMERICAN political convention!!!!
We seem to be caught up in a loop as it appears history is repeating itself, again. T y r r a n y and oppression. There will always be people being born who want to dominate others in one form or another, by hook or by crook. That a lot of them choose to be armed and in authority shouldn't surprise anyone.
The l a w is being broken right under our noses, in broad daylight, and none of the v i o l a t o r s have been indicted or brought to justice.
Who's to blame?
Amy has been fighting the good fight for as long as I can remember. She cut her journalistic teeth risking life and limb in places like Duvalier's Haiti and East Timor during the genocide. To her, this is all just a little more grist for the mill. I wouldn't worry about her.
In fact, I pity the fool who'd even try to mess with her.
8
Push, push, push . . . get pushed back . . . scream and cry!
Hmm, clearly you are someone who believes being asked a question by a middle aged woman should result in getting an arm twisted, cuffed, and arrested for "conspiracy to riot." Hmm, yeah, you're a real tough guy. Feel proud?
Unbiased would be the first to sue if a police officer said a harsh word to him. His feelings would be hurt!!
When they told you international conventions were antiquated and out dated, you did nothing.
Now appearently the bill of rights must yield to the war on _______ (fill in the blank) due to necessity, you did nothing.
Trust the governement and take your medication it really makes this much simplier.
Be afraid and consume, Boo.
Carry on.
don't mess with amy
I agree Hillpill. She is one tough woman, and very impressive. Too bad the nasty repubs. don't have someone with her stature.
"Ramsey County sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. " - Yer doin' a great job Sheriff Bobbie.
"Suspicion of rioting" is a much more serious crime than "wrong-think." I sure "suspicion of rioting" is defined within the Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act, HR-1965, or within some Federal Law.
In harmony with "suspicion of rioting" were the numbers of people "detained" for the crime of potential illegal assembly. There is an ancient US document that allows the right of public assembly. For descriptions of other "detensions" see: http://www.theuptake.org./
The American people should ignore the enforcement of these new laws. They protect America from the terrorists.. More important issues are the price of gasoline, abortion, prayer in school, gay marriage, flag lapel pin issues, professional sports, entertainment, etc. In the end, ignoring these police actions will give the American public its' just desserts. It seems the only way to stop this police juggernaut will be for the people to assemble and initiate action.
God bless her.
the united police states of america. i'm not very proud of my country, right now, with the way police have been acting under the bush administration. they are destroying the trust americans used to have in our police. i will defend my rights at any cost!
The actions of the cops in St. Paul have been an embarassment, and an even better reason to make people go protest. Giddy-up!
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