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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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 Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:48 am Post subject: Amy Goodman and Two Democracy Now! Producers Arrested at RNC |
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| Quote: | Amy Goodman and Two Democracy Now! Producers Unlawfully Arrested at RNC
The following is an updated release from Democracy Now!
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: 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."
Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.
Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities' law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.
During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.
Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists.
Video of Amy Goodman’s Arrest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ |
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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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i've just been reading various stories and checking some videos of the 'police' at the republican convention, i put police in quotes because they're more like nazi thugs |
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faceless
admin
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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What a fucking hero that cop is. I'd happily take him on in a square-go if he had the balls to get out of his armour and stop manhandling middle-aged women.
Big stick? Tiny dick. |
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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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how they treated amy is nothing compared to some of their actions towards other people, i knew american police were pretty hardcore and increasingly militarized, but the stuff i'm reading about whats going on at this convention is just a whole new level. i've never used the term police state before but thats what its looking like to me 
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/09/01/protests/ |
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faceless
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Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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If that's not an example of a fascist regime then show me something that is...
Charging Goodman with 'conspiracy to riot'? Sadly it's all too believable.
edit: I just looked on the BBC news page dedicated to the American elections and there's not a single mention of this. What a surprise...
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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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| if you do a search on the media none of the mainstream are picking up on this, theres a tiny mention in the guardian and times, but apart from that its all smaller more local and independent media, although irans press tv picked it up |
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faceless
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Joined: 25 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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Considering how little coverage the BBC give to similar protests here, it's not surprising really. After all, people on the streets protesting? How positively common that is!
Over the past few years I've become less and less involved in protests, but it still gets my blood boiling when I see these thugs getting away with everything from assault and intimidating behaviour to illegal arrests.
So many people go on about freedom, but the freedom to protest is one of the most important freedoms imaginable and when it is crushed, you may as well just give up on the whole pretence. Liberty and justice? My hairy arse. |
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luke
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Location: by the sea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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yeah i'm kinda used to the mainstream medias lack of coverage of such things, but get a couple of brits protesting in beijing like the other week - front page news!
i thought in america the right to assemble and protest was supposed to be protected by the bill of rights? i know bush has torn up most of the constitution "it's just a goddamned piece of paper" as he said, but i didn't realise how far things had gone |
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