At least 10,000 protestors took to the streets Monday, the first day of the
Republic National Convention. Hundreds of them were arrested–and many hundreds
more mercilessly attacked by law enforcement with pepper spray, rubber bullets,
tear gas and brute force. There are even reports of horseback police trampling
protestors.
By 8 p.m. Monday, the Ramsey
County Sheriff’s department reported that its jail had processed 163
protesters:73 felony arrests, 42 gross misdemeanors and 48 misdemeanors. Arraignments
were to begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday. At 10:30 p.m. Monday, Coldsnap Legal Collective reported
much higher numbers: 284 arrests, 130 felonies, 51 gross misdemeanors and 103
misdemeanors.
Coldsnap’s web site also reported, “We’ve gotten many reports
that people are not getting proper medical attention, are being refused their
medication, and/or have been separated from the rest of the group. Also, there are also many felony
charges, which allow the state to hold the protesters for a longer period of
time. Felony charges have historically been used as
scare tactics against activists, and there is much less precedent for them to
hold up in court. More often, these bogus charges are simply used to keep
protesters off the streets and as a way to oppress and silence people.”
Photo by Anna Pratt/Paul Demko
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Report on Police Crackdown in St. Paul
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