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September 04, 2008

Hundreds Arrested for RNC Protest

More than 300 people were arrested for protesting in St. Paul, Minn., at the Republican National Convention since its start, two of them younger than 18. As of September 2, 120 of those individuals were arrested for felonies, while 12 were arraigned.  

“With no provocation, police have indiscriminately used rubber bullets, concussion grenades, and chemical irritants to disperse crowds and incapacitate protesters,” the Coldsnap Legal Collective, an activist-based legal collective supporting the arrestees, said in a statement.

Protesters were arrested during anti\poverty and antiwar rallies. Police told the Associated Press that splinter groups of protesters have tried to get past security fencing, harassed delegates, and thrown bottles.

"Based on the vagueness of their charges and the program of police intimidation currently under way, these individuals understand how they will fare if they don't stick together,” said Rick Kelley of Coldsnap Legal Collective.

Two unidentified minors were sentenced to 30 days in an adult jail on September 2 for refusing to divulge their identity

Marchers and protesters must be released within 36 hours of being detained if the courts cannot prove probable cause for their charges. However, Coldsnap claims medical attention is being withheld as punishment for refusal to provide identification. Detainees who refuse to identify themselves are refused medical prescriptions and charged with the maximum $2,000 bail bond.

One arrestee with hemophilia and another with asthma were denied medication while being detained. An arrestee with a broken finger is being refused medical care, as is a person who has been coughing up blood, according to Coldsnap. (The Advocate)

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Paula
    Date posted: 2008-09-04 4:37 PM
    Hometown: El Paso

    Comment:

    Oh PUHLEEEZ! They people attended a protest.. They had to know what might happen. I don't feel sorry for any of them. We have rights, blah, blah, blah. Don't put yourself in a situation that you are not willing to pay the price for. There is a way to protest and that is peacefully. The anarchist protesters show and everything goes to hell.


  • Name: RICARDO SANTANA
    Date posted: 2008-09-04 12:04 PM
    Hometown: OAKLAND PARK, FLORIDA

    Comment:

    This is absolute torture at the hands of the police and government. People have the right to the proper medical care, even if they are charged with a crime. And what is all this nonsense about identification? Last time I checked this is a free country not China. Citizens should not have to show their ID to police. Think about what is happening here, human beings with medical ailments are at risk of dying at any moment now and children are being thrown into jail with violent adult felons. I am truly ashamed to be an american. What has this nation come to? This is the most gruesome civil rights violation that I have heard of in a long time and it's all happening right here in the USA. GO TO THE LIBRARY AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK-STAE, CITY,AND COUNTY LAWS CONCERNING OUR RIGHTS!!!!!WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS EVEN IF ITS WRITTEN ON A PIECE OF PAPER WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THEM!!!!!!!!AND TAKE IT FROM THERE! GET IT?-SANTANA RICARDO


  • Name: RICARDO SANTANA
    Date posted: 2008-09-04 12:01 PM
    Hometown: OAKLAND PARK, FLORIDA

    Comment:

    Name: Robert Date posted: 2008-09-04 6:14 AM Hometown: Jacksoneville NC Comment: you didnt get this at the Democratic Convention...I saw another artical on this at Salon.com. They had clips of a house after one of the raids and another of a house being raided. The police confinscated all the computer they could find, and anything that could be used to make signs calling them 'ingrediants for explosives'. WTF? what? did they fear there would be more protesters then convention attendees? Why hasnt CNN reported this? Why hasnt any other media besides a number of small news stations and online media sites posted this? This is all rather freaky....If this was the to be a straw in the pile of reasons to vote against the republicans, this is the one that broke the horses back. I hope this goes to court


  • Name: RICARDO SANTANA
    Date posted: 2008-09-04 11:59 AM
    Hometown: OAKLAND PARK, FLORIDA

    Comment:

    I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE NEEDING MEDICAL ATTENTION AND DID NOT GET IT GET A LAWYERAND SUE TH CITY!!!! GUYS PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND READ PARALEGAL AND LAW ISSUES CONCERNING THIS ISSUES. WE HAVE RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, STATE, CITY AND COUNTY LAWS-RICARDO SANTANA


  • Name: Robert
    Date posted: 2008-09-04 6:14 AM
    Hometown: Jacksoneville NC

    Comment:

    you didnt get this at the Democratic Convention...I saw another artical on this at Salon.com. They had clips of a house after one of the raids and another of a house being raided. The police confinscated all the computer they could find, and anything that could be used to make signs calling them 'ingrediants for explosives'. WTF? what? did they fear there would be more protesters then convention attendees? Why hasnt CNN reported this? Why hasnt any other media besides a number of small news stations and online media sites posted this? This is all rather freaky....If this was the to be a straw in the pile of reasons to vote against the republicans, this is the one that broke the horses back. I hope this goes to court.


  • Name: Corey Lynxx
    Date posted: 2008-09-04 3:10 AM
    Hometown: Loganville, GA

    Comment:

    This is absolute torture at the hands of the police and government. People have the right to the proper medical care, even if they are charged with a crime. And what is all this nonsense about identification? Last time I checked this is a free country not China. Citizens should not have to show their ID to police. Think about what is happening here, human beings with medical ailments are at risk of dying at any moment now and children are being thrown into jail with violent adult felons. I am truly ashamed to be an american. What has this nation come to? This is the most gruesome civil rights violation that I have heard of in a long time and it's all happening right here in the USA.


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