In MN, Massive Police Raids On Suspected Protestors

**Mondain** · August 31st, 2008, 08:46 PM

http://politics.slashdot.org/article...40252&from=rss

X0563511 alerts us to events in Minneapolis and St. Paul in advance of the Republican convention (which has been put on hold because of Hurricane Gustav). Local police backed by the FBI raided a number of homes and public buildings and confiscated computers and other material. From Salon.com: "Last night, members of the St. Paul police department and the Ramsey County sheriff's department handcuffed, photographed and detained dozens of people meeting at a public venue to plan a demonstration, charging them with no crime other than 'fire code violations,' and early this morning, the Sheriff's department sent teams of officers into at least four Minneapolis area homes where suspected protesters were staying. Jane Hamsher and I were at two of those homes this morning — one which had just been raided and one which was in the process of being raided."

Here is local reporting from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

"Aided by informants planted in protest groups, authorities raided at least six buildings across St. Paul and Minneapolis to stop an 'anarchist' plan to disrupt this week's Republican National Convention. From Friday night through Saturday afternoon, officers surrounded houses, broke down doors, handcuffed scores of people and confiscated suspected tools of civil disobedience... A St. Paul City Council member described it as excessive, while activists, many of whom were detained and then released without charges, called it intimidation designed to quash free speech."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwa...ids/index.html
http://www.startribune.com/local/277...7PQLanchO7DiUX

Well, that's um... ... great.

**ScaredOnce** · August 31st, 2008, 08:53 PM

I hope more of the groups' details come out in the news. It really does seem overboard with what is now known.

**Ten*K** · September 1st, 2008, 04:18 AM

yeah, that's some darth vader shit right there.

**SFMarine** · September 1st, 2008, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by Ten*K

yeah, that's some darth vader shit right there.

That pretty much sums it up.

**Guns4Fun** · September 1st, 2008, 11:27 AM

So, I guess that just goes to show that it doesn’t matter if the candidate has an R or a D next to their name. In either case, it seems you can unleash the storm troopers on law abiding citizens.

**J8300** · September 1st, 2008, 04:32 PM

Duplicate thread

http://www.pafoa.org/forum/lounge-10...lice-raid.html

**••SpraynPray••** · September 1st, 2008, 05:13 PM

Sounds like China and the Olympics...

**jsb889** · September 1st, 2008, 05:47 PM

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The writer either did a shitty job, or the police are way out of line. The way its written...a protest was planned (maybe without a permit?) and the police reacted like the group was going to bomb the repub convention.

If they want to peacefully assemble...fine. If they want to try to "disrupt" the convention...let police action be taken then. They did nothing wrong...yet.

Unless there was going to be some violence planned...thats pretty uncalled for.