From Democracy Now! website:
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: http://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.”
More at AlterNet and The Washington Post.
Video of the arrest can be found here.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Goodman, "Democracy Now!" crew busted at GOP convention protest
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Eureka, CA 
3 comments:
Wait a minute! How can the MINNEAPOLIS police arrest people IN SAINT PAUL!?!?! And this BULLSHIT "arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony" HELLLLO!? SIG HEIL Y'ALL.
Anyone remember the song "Police State 2000" by Fear Factory?! Well, they were just 8 years off. I guess similar could be said about George Orwell. People should be PISSED about this COMPLETE INJUSTICE!!! But no, it's not a "sexy" story, so...
Off-duty police officers throughout the state and even neighboring states (like Wisconsin) are lending a hand this week in St. Paul. It's pretty normal, not just for political conventions, but for emergency situations as well.
Historical note: Daly City, California police arrested John Chancellor while he was covering the 1964 Republican convention. Daly I's storm troopers arrested Dan Rather at the 1968 Democratic Convention (plus hundreds more peaceful protesters foolish enough to believe the in the First Amendment).
Post a Comment