According to Amy Goodman in this interview, when Goodman asks how the press could do their job without arrest and charges, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington made to her a sordid suggestion, that the press be embedded in the "police mobile field force". (!!!!!)
How about citizen journalists with a Flip video? How do citizens peacefully assemble and exercise the 1st Amendment, and do so with witnesses?
Someone I know was arrested blocks away from a concert in Minneapolis she was leaving, trying to leave, other streets having been blocked by police.
Were the troops wearing names and jurisdictions? Do they need badges?
How does one stay innocent? How does one disperse when the question "Which way?" goes unanswered? How does one witness?
Need we be embedded citizens?
Update (Sep 9, 2008, 2:00 pm Central): Melissa Hill, whom I trust on this, writes,
I was arrested on Wednesday night after the RATM concert on 7th Street. I stayed on the sidewalks and didn't do anything but apparently I'm being charged with "obstructing traffic??", being a "public nuisance" and "unlawful assembly"??? They handcuffed us and we had to sit there for hours on the street. They also arrested MN Peace Team members and freelance journalists and people simply going home.
Source: Wall on public Facebook group "I went to the RNC 08 and all I got was arrested!" (Sep 8, 2008, 7:56 pm Central)
As I understand it, the MN Peace Team tries to mollify crowds.
Update (Sep 9, 2008, 2:47 pm Central): Why We Were Falsely Arrested by Amy Goodman
1 comment:
I'd heard the "embedded" remark, secondhand. Thank you for revealing where it came from. Outrageous.
Extensive RNC 2008 coverage is available on my blog.
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