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Amy Goodman has been arrested in St.Paul

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Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfully detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar 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 being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar.  These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

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 they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.

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  is a transparent attempt to intimidate  journalists from the nation’s leading independent news outlet.

Democracy Now! is a nationally syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

Video of Amy Goodman’s Arrest: here

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Comments

  1. City or Town?

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    p>Have you also notified the Boston Globe, the Herald, etc?

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    p>That is quite a video.  Yes, I will call and also forward the URL for this post.

  2. in NYC, but she’s on the road for both conventions.

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    p>I’ve emailed the Globe and Olbermann.

  3. I don’t think anyone had good expectations for this convention… but I never even envisioned things could turn out this bad, not in my wildest dreams.

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    p>Focus on the family asked for Republicans to pray for rain during Obama’s speech… I think it poured.  

  6. Amy asked another officer and he said that ‘he wasn’t one of us’. It makes you wonder if Blackwater or another private mercenary firm is part of the security apparatus at the RNC. What does that mean for protestors and press that are brutalized by them? Do they have legal recourse if they can’t identify the arresting ‘officer’?

  7. We have a huge problem in this country with the way policing is done for major events, protests, and similar things.  Police are generally the biggest threat to public order at any event that has some dissent, they’re the ones most likely to start riots, to introduce violence, to cause damage and harm.  Events like the DNC, the RNC, and anything else that is a form of dissent or likely to draw dissent, would on average actually be much safer if no police were present.  That’s really twisted, but true.  We have no effective checks and balances on police power & authority, and police are (mis)used mainly to intimidate and suppress dissent in these contexts, as well as apparently conditioned to view anyone who’s different in certain ways as if they were dangerous, and pre-empt.  It’s very corrosive and undermines democracy.

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    p>The availability of information though ubiquitous video cameras and blogs and so on, could be used to change this.  Once enough of the country are aware of the danger police pose, and the amount of violence they cause, at these sorts of events, we’ll be better able to put the needed checks and balances in place to ensure that police are used to keep people safe rather than to suppress dissent and harm people in the process.

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    p>We also need to make some examples, by actually imprisoning some of the people responsible for these incidents, rather than merely putting a few low level officers on suspension (though often, low level officers lie to the court about what happened, and when there’s video to show they lied, they too should go to prison).

    • The availability of information though ubiquitous video cameras and blogs and so on, could be used to change this.

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      p>The group that was arrested included Elizabeth Press from Democracy Now! and Eileen Clancy of I-Witness Video, a group dedicated to doing exactly that. Ironic they ended up filming their own arrest!

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      p>Check out I-Witness Video for pictures and video of the arrest. Also, today’s DN! has the whole story here as well as an interview of Keith Ellison and a segment on other arrests (300 of them!) which have targeted journalists.  

  9. Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfully detained.

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    p>I don’t know about you all, but if I tried to “free” two of my friends who were being arrested, no matter how unlawful that initial arrest was, I would be arrested no questions asked.  You don’t interfere with that kind of stuff and not know you’re going to be arrested.  

    • to read up a bit before you assume what happened.  she merely asked a cop what had happened to her two producers, and in response they illegally arrested her.  

      • I was quoting exactly what the email stated.  The email said that she was attempting to free two producers from being arrested.  That said, I wasn’t saying that the arrests weren’t “illegal”, I was saying that it’s not mind-blowing to think that someone would be arrested (not charged with anything, mind you, arrested) for involving themselves in police business regardless of the situation.  

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        p>And as for me assuming something, I guess anybody who calls for congressional hearings or poses the idea that the RNC is hiring blackwater-types or other private mercanaries is citing sound and thorough research. Give me a break.

        • … from “armed jailbreak”, to “explain calmly the misunderstanding to an officer in charge”.  You don’t have any more reason to suspect the former than the latter, except in so far as the former seems out of character from what we’ve seen from Amy Goodman.

          • but what’s not fine is Laurel jumping on me for making assumptions when letting all the assumptions being made that fit the narrative she wants slide.  I have thick skin but still.

        • it takes 30 seconds to watch it…

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          p>In the meantime, you might enjoy RMG’s response.  The  brain trust over there are discussing clubbing protesters to death.  They pause to discuss the merits of Elizabeth Shue in the middle.  Very 9th grade.

  10. The bus carrying some Alabama delegates had a rock thrown through the windshield, making broken glass spray across the riders, and causing the driver to go off the road.  CT delegates were sprayed with ammonia (at least they HOPE it was ammonia).  North Carolina had feces thrown at them.

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    p>Jean Inman from Mass. had her car rocked and attacked as she tried to get to SXcel for the convention opening (she is secretary of the convention).

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    p>There are about 800 ordinary, peaceful protesters and about 200 wanna-be ninjas who are attacking and hurting people and throwing garbage scrounged from dumpsters and breaking windows.  It isn’t easy to attack peopel, as Minnapolis is so spread out that the transport is on a bus or light rail – nobody strolling around.

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    p>Is this woman’s friends one of the ordinary protestors, or a ninja?

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    p>About the cop – every bus now has to have a cop on board.  Some fron Brainerd, some from northen MN – state and local cops from all over the state have been dragooned into protective details because the Democrats think we shouldn’t be allowed to have a nominee.  I’ve met police from a dozen communities, easy.  Nothing sinister in an officer not knowing who another guy is – and NO, they are NOT Blackwater (you loons!), but regular staye and municipal officers.

    • “Democrats think we shouldn’t be allowed to have a nominee.”
      I call BS.  Now protesters = democratic party?  You wish!

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      p>”Is this woman’s friends one of the ordinary protestors, or a ninja? ”
      BS again.  The “friends” were credentialed Democracy Now producers.

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      p>”regular staye and municipal officers.”
      Who’s to know when they won’t identify themselves?

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      p>Any time you want to disparage disparagable acts without lumping them in conveniently with ‘people I don’t like’ I’ll be happy to agree with you.  In the meantime BS on all the character assassination.  

      • I was just about to post something longer and less well written.  The only thing I’ll add is watch the video of the arrest — she was polite and peaceful throughout.  It could happen to anyone who asked the wrong question.

      • “Now protesters = democratic party?  You wish!”

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        p>Well, they chant for Obama and claim to be.  I agree with Dad that they are probably just jerks, and SAID SO in my comment.  Still – they CLAIM to be affiliated with Al Franken, from their chants and costumes.

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        p>”The “friends” were credentialed Democracy Now producers.”

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        p>How do you know this exactly?  Any verification other than the woman’s claims?  And even so – is being a Democracy Now producer incompatible with being a member of the ‘RNC Welcoming’ group aka wanna-be ninjas?

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        p>”Who’s to know when they won’t identify themselves?”

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        p>He answered her honestly – he said HE didn’t know who the guy was.  There are now cops here from Illinois, from Michigan, from the Dakotas, as even the Minnesota State Police have been overwhelmed. They wear standard police unforms with credentials – and believe me, I can’t even walk down a street without flashing credentials, so these aren’t rented uniforms.  Some streets are as empty as if a neutron bomb went off – out of fear.  Do you understand?  We are in actual danger from these people.  And the DNC whined because there was a War Room response team to argue back at them!  Where were the threats and violence done to the Dem delegates?

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        p>I watched the video – and the lady was hustled aside by officers calling her ma’am.  Nobody hurt her.  Her fellow protesters cannot make the same claim.

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        p>As far as ‘disparagement’ goes, I would say that these ‘honest’ protesters are condemned by the company and tactics they choose to endorse.  NOT ONE of these so-called ‘peaceful’ protesters have apologized for the actions of their brothers at arms.

        • “I agree with Dad that they are probably just jerks, and SAID SO in my comment.”

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          p>You’re the one that said it:”dragooned into protective details because the Democrats think we shouldn’t be allowed to have a nominee.”  Own it.  If it’s wrong and you didn’t intend to lump the party in with the thugs, then own it and apologize.  Enough with the coy vagueness.  You want to disown the association but you also say “Well, they chant for Obama and claim to be.”  So which is it?  Now your being coy.  You could have just said, ‘I misspoke’.  Instead you’re clouding the association while claiming to deny it.  Try again.  
          Protesters that chant Obama = The Democratic Party.  Same as Protesters = Democratic Party.  Again, You wish!

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          p>”Nobody hurt her.”
          She appeared unhurt.  Her producers didn’t fare so well.  

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          p>”How do you know this exactly?”
          They are called credentials.  They hang around their neck visible to all security to inspect.  That’s the point.  You weren’t exactly in danger from Amy Goodman for crissakes.

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          p>Stop lumping ‘us’ all together and I’ll stop being offended that you do.  Seriously.  You certainly should be offended at mistreatment.  Misdirecting your offense is just stupid.  It’s character assassination.  Nobody objected you to being upset about real acts.  Still no defense for arresting journalists.  Indeed, they even asked them how to comply with their requests (there was no place to go).

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          p>For once, own up that you misspoke or own the criticism.  

    • I don’t understand why anyone would engage in these kind of protests.  What a profoundly useless waste of time.  This applies just as much for the anti-abortion and NRA protests as it does for the lefty types.

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      p>The ones organizing the protest never control who is in there; they want more bodies for the video.  Then, a few start breaking storefront windows, setting cars on fire, and throwing rocks at cops and third parties.  Before you know it, it is bedlam, and then it is the cops’ fault for daring to protect themselves as well as public and private property.

      • don’t forget the age-old practice of discrediting your rivals by seeding their groups with your own agent provoceteurs who will spark mayhem.  i have no idea whether the property damage and other violence was done by plain idiots or agent provoceteurs, but the latter can rarely be ruled out until long after the fact of the actions.

        • Just what did I write that you found objectionable?  Are you so hurt about Willard getting bumped for the The Alaska Disaster that you can’t even read well-established historical fact without throwing stink bombs?  Poor thing!  EaBo, get this woman a skimpy mint*!

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          p>*In honor and memory of the cheapskate Willard, who you once lamented didn’t provide pizza to vols like those fun and generous democrats do.

          • Unless the GOP has an unlimted supply of twenty-somethings from all over the west coast willing to beat people up and swear at them while festooned in Obama and Che gear – these might not be ‘agents’.  And of course, until the matter is ‘fully settled’ – or maybe somebody is hurt or killed, which seems to be your hope, well, we can just keep shrilling free speech – but only for the CORRECT side, of course.

            • Did it ever occur to you that there are more than two “teams” in the world?  Guess not.  But now that you mention GOP, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if some were GOP plants.  It’s not like the GOP has never, say, planted fake news stories to bring down journalists, or planted former gay prostitutes in the WH press corps to ask Bush bolstering questions, or lied about WMD in Iraq.  Must I go on?  Get a grip – your party has some bad actors.  Take ownership.  This is the ownership society as McCain says, remember?

        • Perhaps they have.  I don’t know.  I said they are idiots for staging silly marches chanting insipid “Hey Hey Ho Ho Somethingorother has to go” and “I say ‘Fight the” you say ‘power’!  nonsense.

        • … I’ve never seen the NRA in particular lash out.  Although, to be fair, talking about “anti-abortion and NRA protests” should probably be re-worded to “anti-abortion and gun-rights protests”, since “NRA” is much more specific than “anti-abortion”.

      • that there were preemptive arrests in people’s homes before the street demonstrations even took place.
        here for instance
        Why not revisit the constitutionally protected right to lawful and peaceful assembly?
        Unless you can say that only law breakers and those encouraging them were arrested, you’re on very thin legal grounds.

  11. reporters were arrested in Denver as well right.

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    p>So the Democratic Mayor of St paul’s police force arrested a reporter.  got anything else?

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