Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

The United States of America, or the State of “Norsefire”?

September 3, 2008 By lynne 6 Comments

Even before the convention started, dozens of assault-rifle-wielding swat teams burst into houses where protesters were housing themselves with local friends, handcuffed them and had them lay on the floor, while they took away computers, laptops, journals, literature, and in some cases, arrested people. The charges which came from this included “conspiracy to commit riot” which, at best, is probably unconstitutional (and as such, one lawyer, Bruce Nestor, the President of the Minnesota Lawyer’s Guild, put it, is hardly used). Here is the initial report of these raids, including a video of that Nestor explaining the conspiracy charge, on Glenn’s blog.

Several of those who were arrested are being represented by Bruce Nestor, the President of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers’ Guild. Nestor said that last night’s raid involved a meeting of a group calling itself the “RNC Welcoming Committee”, and that this morning’s raids appeared to target members of “Food Not Bombs,” which he described as an anti-war, anti-authoritarian protest group. There was not a single act of violence or illegality that has taken place, Nestor said. Instead, the raids were purely anticipatory in nature, and clearly designed to frighten people contemplating taking part in any unauthorized protests.

Nestor indicated that only 2 or 3 of the 50 individuals who were handcuffed this morning at the 2 houses were actually arrested and charged with a crime, and the crime they were charged with is “conspiracy to commit riot.” Nestor, who has practiced law in Minnesota for many years, said that he had never before heard of that statute being used for anything, and that its parameters are so self-evidently vague, designed to allow pre-emeptive arrests of those who are peacefully protesting, that it is almost certainly unconstitutional, though because it had never been invoked (until now), its constitutionality had not been tested.

I know people who ran a local chapter of Food Not Bombs. They are the antithesis of dangerous people. They spend their time scrounging food for homeless people, for crissakes.

Glenn’s second post details the proof that there is Federal involvement in the raids, as well as infiltration of groups (shades of Vietnam, anyone?):

Today’s Star Tribune added that the raids were specifically “aided by informants planted in protest groups.” Back in May, Marcy Wheeler presciently noted that the Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force — an inter-agency group of federal, state and local law enforcement led by the FBI — was actively recruiting Minneapolis residents to serve as plants, to infiltrate “vegan groups” and other left-wing activist groups and report back to the Task Force about what they were doing. There seems to be little doubt that it was this domestic spying by the Federal Government that led to the excessive and truly despicable home assaults by the police yesterday.

This entire thing smacks of police intimidation, in the manner of the graphic-novel-turned-movie, V for Vendetta. In V, the ruling party (called Norsefire, or just “The Party”) arrest a TV producer for merely making fun of the High Chancellor in a satirical broadcast skit. They invade his home with overwhelming force. The act of free speech is a liability to the rule of The Party. And everything they do is in the name of security and fear of chaos, terrorism, and disease.

Media, including Amy Goodman and two of her producers of Democracy Now! as well as an AP photographer, and other reporters, have also been arrested or detained. In the same post talking about the FBI involvement, Greenwald posts:

Heres is the extraordinary blog item I linked to yesterday from Eileen Clancy, one of the founders of I-Witness Video — a NYC-based video collective which is in St. Paul to document the policing of the protests around this week’s Republican National Convention, just as they did at the 2004 GOP Convention in New York. Clancy wrote this as a plea for help, as the Police surrounded her house and (before they had a search warrant) told everyone inside that they’d be arrested if they exited the home:

This is Eileen Clancy . . . The house where I-Witness Video is staying in St. Paul has been surrounded by police. We have locked all the doors. We have been told that if we leave we will be detained. One of our people who was caught outside is being detained in handcuffs in front of the house. The police say that they are waiting to get a search warrant. More than a dozen police are wielding firearms, including one St. Paul officer with a long gun, which someone told me is an M-16.

   We are suffering a preemptive video arrest. For those that don’t know, I-Witness Video was remarkably successful in exposing police misconduct and outright perjury by police during the 2004 RNC. Out of 1800 arrests, at least 400 were overturned based solely on video evidence which contradicted sworn statements which were fabricated by police officers. It seems that the house arrest we are now under and the possible threat of the seizure of our computers and video cameras is a result of the 2004 success.

   We are asking the public to contact the office of St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman at 651-266-8510 to stop this house arrest, this gross intimidation by police officers, and the detention of media activists and reporters.

In his last post on this issue (the first I linked to above), Glenn writes:

UPDATE IV: The Washington Post has a few more details on the arrest of Goodman and the two Democracy Now producers. In addition to them, a photographer for Associated Press was also arrested today while covering the protests (h/t Edward Champion). An AP spokesman said of the arrest: “covering news is constitutionally protected, and photographers should not be detained for covering breaking news.” Democratic strategist and CNN commentator Donna Brazile was hit by pepper spray on her way into the Xcel Center.

Donna Brazile was hit with pepper spray. Amy Goodman, arrested.

It is obvious that this goes far beyond practical security. This set of actions by local and federal law enforcement includes unconstitutional spying, preemptive disruption of free speech and freedom of the press, and brutal and excessive use of force during the last several days. The streets of St. Paul look more like Alan Moore’s graphic world of fascist England than the site of a US political party’s convention. The levels of vandalism have been overwhelmingly exaggerated (thousands of peaceful protesters versus about 60 anarchists who broke windows).

This, as opposed to pepper-spraying whole crowds of peaceful, obeying protesters and brutal treatment of people detained. Eight protesters are being charged with terrorism, based on the evidence, apparently, of paid infiltrators and provocateurs.

We live in a world less far removed from the country of Norsefire than you can possibly imagine. And the media, even the liberal blogs, cannot find even much of an inch to report on this instead of the layers of stories floating on the surface of this incredible violation of our core rights and beliefs as Americans.

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0
0

Filed Under: User Tagged With: crackdown, protests, rnc, unconstitutional

Comments

  1. farnkoff says

    September 3, 2008 at 10:22 pm

    by calling the protesters “anarchists”, a la Sacco and Vanzetti circa 1912. Scott Lehigh had a cute little piece on how nice everyone is in St Paul, with no mention of these disturbing “preemptive police raids” or other teargas and taser nastiness.

    Log in to Reply
    • lynne says

      September 3, 2008 at 10:24 pm

      Of lawbreaking vandalizers  (and they have not and did not hurt anyone) of which there appear to be maybe less than 100, and the thousands, thousands who marched peacefully.

      <

      p>A sense of scale would be effin’ nice, don’t you think?

      Log in to Reply
      • strat0477 says

        September 3, 2008 at 11:59 pm

        I keep thinking they’re showing Boston after a world championship

        Log in to Reply
    • farnkoff says

      September 3, 2008 at 10:25 pm

      Log in to Reply
  2. mcrd says

    September 4, 2008 at 11:15 am

    Now RHEY would have made real believers out of these anarchists. The destruction of public property, destruction of private prooerty , terrorizing Conference attendess was what? Justifiable how? Who will compensate the victims for their destroyed property?

    <

    p>Gimme a break. I’m hoping that the DA’s demand FELONY convictions. Let them wear that mantle for the remainder of their insufferable lives.

    Log in to Reply
    • lynne says

      September 4, 2008 at 1:19 pm

      Really? What does it?

      Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recommended Posts

  • Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid Primaries (2)
  • Shout this til November (2)

Recent User Posts

Shout this til November

August 19, 2022 By fredrichlariccia Leave a Comment

Zero Net Energy – August 2022

August 18, 2022 By gmoke Leave a Comment

Liz

August 17, 2022 By johntmay 5 Comments

Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid Primaries

August 12, 2022 By jconway 12 Comments

There Is Not A Chance the White House is Happy With This Timing

August 10, 2022 By terrymcginty 8 Comments

Site issue: Unable to reply to comments

August 10, 2022 By SomervilleTom 4 Comments

Recent Comments

  • jconway on LizTake it from an expert, third parties are doomed to fail…
  • jconway on Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid PrimariesPost the interview online and let voters judge for thems…
  • johntmay on LizAs the news of Mar-a-Lago unfolds, and the economy impro…
  • johntmay on Liz“the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Kautilya, the Hind…
  • SomervilleTom on Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid PrimariesAs I've said several times already, the commentary on th…
  • Keith Bernard on Progressive Mass Shouldn’t Back Stupid PrimariesI was on the interview with Rep Vitolo. He was outwardly…
  • Keith Bernard on LizFirst of all, gross. While I appreciate Ms. Cheney's cou…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

headlineoptics Headline Optics @headlineoptics ·
34m

Former Montpelier man among 3 people charged in prison slaying of James ‘Whitey’ Bulger https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2022/08/19/former-montpelier-man-among-3-people-charged-in-prison-slaying-of-james-whitey-bulger/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter @masspolicy #MApoli #Massachusetts

Reply on Twitter 1560818290511028225 Retweet on Twitter 1560818290511028225 Like on Twitter 1560818290511028225 Twitter 1560818290511028225
lowellcouncilor Darius Mitchell_ Massachusetts Governor 2022 🇺🇸 @lowellcouncilor ·
1h

America 🇺🇸 needs a GAME CHANGER!

#MAPOLI #BOSPOLI #NHPOLITICS

Alan Henney @alanhenney

CRITICAL SHOOTING, PROBABLE HOMICIDE--- 200 blk Harry S Truman Dr at Campus Way South in Largo. Man shot, reported in cardiac arrest. No suspect info yet.

Reply on Twitter 1560809927089815552 Retweet on Twitter 1560809927089815552 Like on Twitter 1560809927089815552 1 Twitter 1560809927089815552
ryanoferguson Ryan O. Ferguson @ryanoferguson ·
1h

This handshake is some cringeworthy political ad stuff #mapoli

Reply on Twitter 1560808662569975809 Retweet on Twitter 1560808662569975809 Like on Twitter 1560808662569975809 1 Twitter 1560808662569975809
rwwatchma Trump's election fraud hoax undermines democracy @rwwatchma ·
1h

Defend your rights, vote 🌊 blue. #DefendDemocracy #mapoli #nhpolitics #flapol

Reply on Twitter 1560807673058267143 Retweet on Twitter 1560807673058267143 Like on Twitter 1560807673058267143 Twitter 1560807673058267143
lowellcouncilor Darius Mitchell_ Massachusetts Governor 2022 🇺🇸 @lowellcouncilor ·
1h

The TRASH, WEEDS, & POTHOLES around Lowell?

WHY DOES Lowell look 👀 so BAD as I walk THRU the city?

THE CITY LOST THE @LowellSun. AIDEN GLOBAL CAPITAL CUT THE STAFF. MOVE THE PAPER TO WESTFORD!

LOWELL NEEDS A STRONG LOWELL SUN, THAT HAS A LOCAL OWNERSHIP GROUP & CEO! #MAPOLI

Reply on Twitter 1560805370808995840 Retweet on Twitter 1560805370808995840 Like on Twitter 1560805370808995840 Twitter 1560805370808995840
ialera98 Isabelle Alera @ialera98 ·
2h

Really lucky to be working on ending the backlog of rape kits in MA with @Rep_Higgins #mapoli

WCVB-TV Boston @WCVB

Inside the State Police Crime Lab and the effort to identify rapists https://www.wcvb.com/article/inside-the-state-police-crime-lab-and-the-effort-to-identify-rapists/40944441?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot

Reply on Twitter 1560804025112662019 Retweet on Twitter 1560804025112662019 Like on Twitter 1560804025112662019 1 Twitter 1560804025112662019
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2022 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.