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550 Comments
- bradspangler, on 08/30/2008, -9/+486FTA: "The police presented no warrant at the time of the raid, but claim that they have a warrant to search the space for "bomb-making" materials. No "bomb-making" materials were found. Rather, the police barked orders for everyone, including a 5 year old child, to get on the floor with their faces to the ground. Everyone inside was put in handcuffs.
In the hours following, the police photographed everyone inside the space and recorded information from their Identification cards. The police took all personal laptops and hard drives.
One female activist was sexually harrassed by a cop who groped her crotch." - JDenigma, on 08/30/2008, -12/+344This police state really does seem to be escalating now at an exponential rate. We saw the controversies and some degree of civil unrest during that election night of 2000. I just wonder what we have to look forward to in Nov. This is not good. We are entering dangerous waters now.
- inactive, on 08/30/2008, -4/+235And some people wonder why some of us refer to cops as "pigs"
- GrandmaSheila, on 08/30/2008, -10/+220Your fellow citizens are being jailed for exercising their rights of free speech and peaceable assembly by brown shirt thugs. As Kucinich said, 'WAKE UP AMERICA!" Do you understand, their goal is to make it impossible for people to do this? Assemble anywhere, for any reason, and they will be there to jail you. Is this our country????
- brad3378, on 08/30/2008, -5/+213"The police took all personal laptops and hard drives."
Brilliant tactic by the police to prevent (or at least slow down) videos from reaching youtube.com - cusoman, on 08/30/2008, -6/+185"The council member for the ward, Dave Thune, is on the scene, finding out as much as he can. He's called the sheriff, who says his officers are looking for "material" for an "ongoing investigation". He also says that the county does not have authority to close down the building on a fire code violation (as they apparently have threatened to do). Only the city can close down a building for violations of the fire code.
A lawyer from the National Lawyer's Guild is on the scene, as are many people with cameras. The event is being thoroughly photographed and documented."
I certainly hope the media from this documentation is not confiscated, there are many people that need to see what went down there tonight. Very scary stuff, seriously. - bradspangler, on 08/30/2008, -5/+131Also promoting this story on BreakTheMatrix (as the Ron Paul people ought to know what kind of town they're walking into).
http://breakthematrix.com/Civil-Liberties/Illegal- ...
Please vote for it there as well. - GrandmaSheila, on 08/31/2008, -4/+129more details, from phnyx's shout to me:
"Police have raided numerous houses, private homes, and collectives, siezing computers, operations manuals for said computers, cardboard boxes, plastic and glass bottles, xbox and psp consoles, and numerous other items on a warrant list. They break down all the doors in the house, then tell the residents that they have until 6 pm that night to fix them, or their houses will be boarded up in violation of the city code. This is all in the run up to the RNC. Journalists and lawyers present, were put in handcuffs and detained while the raids were going on. What in the world is this country coming to?" - inactive, on 08/30/2008, -6/+109This is just the start so to speak....of a much bigger picture that will unfold in coming years.
- Minarchian, on 08/31/2008, -2/+103Why not?
They call civilians "Bitches" and "cockroaches". - nosecohn, on 08/31/2008, -1/+93One question I rarely see asked is, "What judge issued this warrant, and on what grounds?" Judges who issue warrants with insufficient cause should be reprimanded. They work for us, the citizens... not the police.
- notque, on 08/30/2008, -1/+93PDF of warrant for Minneapolis raid: http://tinyurl.com/6dgos7
- GrandmaSheila, on 08/31/2008, -6/+97Anyone notice, Miranda rights seem to have been ashcanned too? Digg this UP, shine the light of public scrutiny on these cockroaches, it's the only way to get people involved. With their policy of infiltrating peaceful dissent groups, it will soon be impossible to oppose them. How can people organize against them? This is the goal people, to shut us up, now and forever. I say again, is THIS America?
- 13373h4X0r, on 08/31/2008, -4/+92This is far, far worse than any chilling effect the police presence and action at the DNC convention had.
From the article:
"Although no one was arrested, the group said police temporarily detained and photographed at least 50 people who were inside the building."
"St. Paul Police spokesman Tom Walsh said they were executing a search warrant."
""The cause for the search warrant is not public at this time," Walsh said."
"As many as 30 police officers entered with guns drawn, according to witnesses in the building. "
Unless the police had credible evidence that this group posed a threat to people at the convention, this is a blatant violation of freedom of assembly. If the police do not have, in fact, credible evidence of the group being a threat, then the police action was clearly an effort to have a chilling effect on would-be protesters. That would be far worse than cracking down on protesters as they are protesting, in the light of day, with lots of media attention -- to record the protesters and their message along with the apparent cause (justified or not) of any police action -- because the crackdown against the "RNC Welcoming Committee" was in secret, and is likely to dissuade some would-be protesters from protesting.
I suspect the search warrant, when revealed (if ever), will be based upon some bogus "anonymous tip" saying that the group was a threat (e.g., had weapons). If that's all it takes to create a chilling effect for all kinds of aspects of freedom in society (e.g., just claim that some anonymous tip implied that a person or group has a bomb or weapons), then our freedoms will be further oppressed by the government.
Now, it might be there was credible evidence that this particular group posed a possible threat to people at the convention, and it might be that the precautionary measures taken by the police were appropriate and honorable, but this is definitely a situation the public deserves to know more about as more information becomes available. - inactive, on 08/31/2008, -2/+88This is unconfirmed but, I just talked to another friend and many of these houses may be closed down for the duration of the RNC by order of the fire department unless the owners are able to fix the doors the police broke down because its apparently a fire hazard. WTF
- inactive, on 08/31/2008, -2/+83Police State, USA
- Trimalchio420, on 08/31/2008, -5/+80When the police conduct a raid illegally (no warrant), its makes it hard to believe that they really did seize "buckets of urine". Which is why any court would throw out evidence obtained in such a manner.
- notque, on 08/30/2008, -19/+86Erik Oseland being denied vegan food. Call Henn. Cty jail to demand he get it! 612.348.5112
Noah LIVE at raid on 951 Iglehart in St Paul: http://www.qik.com/theuptake - notque, on 08/30/2008, -4/+71Video there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ougH8G6UnkI&eurl=ht ...
Cold snap legal collective is helping. You can donate to them on their website through paypal. - cathpah, on 08/31/2008, -4/+69wow...that puts a new twist on things. That said....no warrant, no search. Those rules are pretty damn clear.
- notque, on 08/30/2008, -3/+68http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/6285/mnindy-vi ...
At 11:30 this morning, members of the RNC Welcoming Committee and allied groups met in South Minneapolis’ Powderhorn Park for a community meeting to regroup after law enforcement raids last night and early this morning. MnIndy’s Andy Birkey was there. - inactive, on 08/31/2008, -2/+613 other activist houses have also been raided. 4 arrests were made:
Monica Bicking
Eryn Trimmer
Garrett Fitzgerald
Nathanael Secor
they are all being charged with conspiracy to riot.
see you on the streets monday - jlhoben, on 08/31/2008, -2/+61Sue.
- adarkmethod, on 08/31/2008, -4/+62meanwhile elsewhere.... Karl Rove walks free
- cusoman, on 08/30/2008, -4/+60Well, it's a good thing they only included Xbox systems, everyone knows activists only use PS3's and Nintendo Wii's.
That document is a joke of our law system, on so many levels. - notque, on 08/30/2008, -3/+58So they didn't have a warrant for the place, and broke through the attic of the duplex that they did have a warrant for via uptake interview
- idc5, on 08/31/2008, -4/+57To serve and protect.. my ass
- inactive, on 08/30/2008, -13/+64How long is it going to take (or will it ever register), that this sort of thing can work both ways? To put it the way previous generations would have done "two can play at that game". If you don't have guns you can get them, you can use them to defend yourselves if necessary. A well armed populace is nowhere near as easily conquered as sheep who sit around and take whatever is dished out.
- inactive, on 08/31/2008, -3/+54Just because the Police do it does not make it legal.
Question Authority! - heaintheavy, on 08/30/2008, -3/+51Follow breaking reports at
http://www.twitter.com/coldsnaplegal - silpol, on 08/31/2008, -0/+44and where are ACLU lawyers? http://www.aclu-mn.org/
- dafragsta, on 08/31/2008, -3/+47Yeah, xboxes and xbox games. Implements of destruction for sure.
- NonServium, on 08/30/2008, -1/+45Xbox systems, nails, glass bottles, soap, twine, photographs of downtown St Paul...
"the possession of the property above described constitutes a crime." - cygnus2112, on 08/31/2008, -14/+57The article leaves out these:
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S561344.shtml?cat= ...
http://www.startribune.com/politics/27695244.html? ...
Maps, weapons, gallons of urine, bricks, sledgehammers, slingshots, bow/arrows, baseball bats ...
"Deputies seized a variety of items that they believed were tools of civil disobedience: a gas mask, bolt cutters, axes, slingshots, homemade "caltrops" for disabling buses, even buckets of urine." - inactive, on 08/30/2008, -2/+42So true friends of mine (and myself to a lesser extent) were beat up by cops in Humboldt county California for non violent protest on behalf of the Redwoods. :(
- Lynx55, on 08/31/2008, -2/+37This hasn't been our country since Bush & Co. It was bad at times before the time, but OMG bad since them. This is freakin scary. You have to be willing to put your life on the line to stand up for your beliefs. Our founding fathers are howling from their graves.
- noen, on 08/31/2008, -1/+36There was no urine.
They put the five gallon buckets beneath a sink and collect the gray water. Later they use that to flush the toilet. This saves them money on their utilities. These people believe in living very basically. - n3xuz420, on 08/31/2008, -2/+36Just went by the place today and it's packed full of people. No 'illegal activity' going on anywhere...
- inactive, on 08/31/2008, -6/+40Congress needs to put an end to this fallacy that we are at War. Only Congress can declare War. The founders never intended for the War Powers in the Constitution to be used to wage an ideological campaign. The Bush Administration's use of War Powers has been to move the country towards Fascism.
If you read the history of Mussolini's rise to power, you can see parallels to Bush. Bush is eroding the Constitution and has openly declared that he believes in a Unitary Executive. This is "Il Duce" by another name.
Fight Fascism! - Airforcefalco, on 08/31/2008, -5/+38Heaven forbid that someone has a map!
You know, with the exception of the gallons of urine (you could not flush my toilet after for a day), most American's have this stuff in their house! - eliot2000, on 08/31/2008, -1/+32I'd point out that democratic governments that decide to drop the whole "democracy" thing tend to antagonize protest groups with the intention of creating a response they can blow put of porportion. It's also common to place an agent provicateur in the group to escalate things. I'd be careful if I was them- with McCain doing as poorly as he is, if there is a plan B, the RNC is when it will happen.
I miss the days when that would have sounded ridiculous. - oxymoron69, on 08/31/2008, -3/+33"They work for us, the citizens... not the police."
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, that's like saying the government represents the people.... - cygnus2112, on 08/31/2008, -6/+36What do you guys mean by "no warrant"?
http://www.twincities.com/ci_10341390?source=most_ ...
"The Pioneer Press did not see the warrant. But witnesses quoted from the warrant, which was read aloud by authorities. They said authorities were looking for "items that could be used for direct action techniques, ranging from computers, Xboxes, Xbox games, Molotov cocktails and matchstick heads."
Asked about the timing of the warrant just before the RNC starts Monday, Fletcher said "the warrant was dictated by the needs of the investigation and the criminal behavior of the suspects." "
http://ksax.com/article/stories/S561790.shtml?cat= ...
"A fourth home, this one in St. Paul, was raided Saturday afternoon. Two people were detained outside the home in handcuffs for about two hours before St. Paul police arrived with a search warrant. St. Paul police spokesman Tom Walsh could not confirm whether anyone had been arrested.
Eileen Clancy, one of the founders of a New York City video collective called I-Witness Video, sent an e-mail saying she was inside the house and was told she couldn't leave while police waited for a search warrant."
http://dncrnc.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/more-police ...
"NLG attorneys are on the way to these houses, and we have heard that the police are using the same search warrants as they did last night."
http://mnchange.org/st-paul-mpls-raids-targets-rnc ...
"The search warrants executed Saturday morning appeared to be identical to the one used Friday, said Bruce Nestor, another attorney helping the protesters. Other items listed included urine and feces, which Nestor said police are fearful may be thrown on them by protesters during the march."
That's just from the first few articles brought up from Google using the search terms "warrant st paul raids". - KyleVarner, on 08/31/2008, -3/+33Wow, utterly amazing. I do not know what goes through the minds of these police officers.
- iceman0113, on 08/31/2008, -1/+31"If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth,—certainly the machine will wear out. If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter- friction to stop the machine."
-Henry David Thoreau from Civil Disobedience - inactive, on 08/31/2008, -1/+29They zip tied my wrists so tight and then left me sitting in a cop van for so long that I had no sensation on the left side of my right wrist for 6 months. I should have sued but it's hard to get the legal trip together when you are alternating between living at a base camp in the woods and sleeping on a floor in town. :(
- waynemr, on 08/31/2008, -0/+28Our forefathers had a solution to this sort of behavior. They took up arms and fought.
- inactive, on 08/31/2008, -7/+35Big Brother and the corporation really have our best interests at heart, there is really no need for political dissent anymore.....WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. The sooner we all see this and assimilate the better we all will be.
- NSResponder, on 08/31/2008, -3/+30Bush, Reagan, Nixon?
Try Truman and FDR.
FDR was the first president to incarcerate US citizens for having parents or grandparents from an unpopular country, and Truman was the first one to commit us to combat without a declaration of war.
-jcr - kemp34, on 08/31/2008, -1/+27These are attempts at overt tyranny.
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