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Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! Arrested in St. Paul
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Even though she had a floor pass to the GOP convention, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was arrested by pollice anyway.
Democracy Now! Host and Producers Arrested at Republican Convention
ST. PAUL -- Democracy Now! radio host Amy Goodman and two producers were arrested while covering demonstrations at the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn. Goodman was released after being held for over three hours, but is still waiting to hear when Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar would be released."I was down on the convention floor interviewing delegates when I heard that two of our producers had been arrested," said Goodman. "I ran down to Jackson and 7th Street, where the police had moved in."
Goodman said that when she ran up to find out what was going on, she was also arrested.
"They seriously manhandled me and handcuffed my hands behind my back. The top ID [at the convention] is to get on the floor and the Secret Service ripped that off me. I had my Democracy Now! ID too. I was clearly a reporter."
September 2, 2008 at 08:28 am by Emilio Lizardo, 686 views, 59 comments



Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (59)
at 08:34 on September 2nd, 2008
She's a great American, and arresting her was a really stupid move. But that being said, stupid moves are what we expect from the GOP.
at 08:58 on September 2nd, 2008
Thanks for the flag and the comment, MoonWolf.
at 08:37 on September 2nd, 2008
She was told not to cross the line. The police have to make a stand when there is anarchy in the streets. They set a line for no one to cross in order to protect those arrested and themselves. In those situations you have to obey the police. The law is in the poice's favor to not allow interference.
at 09:02 on September 2nd, 2008
It's rather intereesting that, according to Goodman, her floor credentials were removed from her person where they had been prominently displayed in plain view, prior to her being loaded into the paddy wagon ...
They wanted everybody to see this ... who the hell knows why ...
at 08:54 on September 2nd, 2008
Bill,
She had a pass issued by the organizers, and is a bonafide reporter. Pro-Repugnican reporters had no problem. Amy's only crime was being a Democrat.
Suggesting this highly respected person was involved in "anarchy in the streets" is just plain ludicrous! LOL!
Beyond that it was a totally brain-dead move as the PR backlash will far outweigh any punitive lesson this idiocy could possibly be construed to have imparted on Ms.Goodman.
at 09:00 on September 2nd, 2008
Look at the video again. The police were saying anyone who crosses the line will be arrested. Press does not have a legal right to cross every single line otherwise the press would have the right to the Presidents office, the bathroom stall in every gas station..... Freedom of the press has restrictions.
at 09:19 on September 2nd, 2008
"Freedom of the press has restrictions." You said it Bill, and that right-wing, anti-Constitutional viewpoint is one of the main reasons that Americans know the Repugnicans must be removed from office. Keep talking, we love it!
at 16:14 on September 2nd, 2008
Regardless of the rights and wrongs in "this" situation, there was a good point made here. Press pass is not a free ride. It always comes with conditions. Break the conditions and you can loose your pass and receive punishment.
at 09:15 on September 2nd, 2008
Not a very sociable bunch. You can see her credentials in the video, and they are facing the police officer.
It seems the whole thing could have been handled better.
at 09:18 on September 2nd, 2008
Thanks for flags and comments, zichi and dunkelberg -
The message has been sent out loud and clear - 'if you think you are coming to St. Paul to make trouble, think again ...
That's my take, anyway ...
at 09:22 on September 2nd, 2008
Emilio,
I think the message is more, 'If you think you can come to St.Paul and not be total Republican cheerleaders, and you want to actually do your job for the American people, think again..'
at 09:45 on September 2nd, 2008
Yep - that too, no doubt ...
Seems they both amount to about the same thing, now doesn't it ...
at 09:22 on September 2nd, 2008
Very disturbing when considered in conjunction with Jordan's story re: police raids on suspected protesters in Minneapolis.
at 09:45 on September 2nd, 2008
Thanks for the flag and the link, Karen.
at 10:49 on September 2nd, 2008
For those who want to complain please go to www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/mayor
and email the Democratic Mayor.
"Gov. Dean and I both demonstrated that you can lead a government with progressive values and strong management." the Mayor said.
I think maybe he thinks progressive is a Nazi state.
at 10:50 on September 2nd, 2008
Emilio Lizardo, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 12:25 on September 2nd, 2008
Thanks for the flag and the comments, Bill ...
I'm thinking Minnesota may want to change the name of one of their cities from St. Paul to St. Petersburg ...
at 11:14 on September 2nd, 2008
Now that it is exposed that the mayor is a democrat, will the comments stop?
at 11:17 on September 2nd, 2008
They need a compassionate republican mayor. Denver's mayor did the same thing to the network reporter. He is a democrat too. Maybe the democratic image of being for the people is a lie.
at 13:13 on September 2nd, 2008
They all need more Soma ...
at 11:34 on September 2nd, 2008
Here is a notice I just received from the ANSWER Co-alition
Take Action to Defend RNC Protesters!
Stop the Police Riot in St. Paul!
Although it went virtually unmentioned in the corporate media, on Sept. 1, the largest anti-war march of 2008 took place outside the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. 30,000 people from all over the Midwest and the country gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul and them marched to the Xcel Center, the site of the RNC. Large numbers of buses came from all over Illinois, Wisconsin, and the surrounding states.
Michael Prysner, speaking in St. Paul
The march was overwhelmingly young people, and was led by the veterans' and immigrant rights contingents. Other sizable contingents included a strong labor contingent, a poor people's contingent, and a contingent in solidarity with Palestine. The chant ""Iraq for Iraqis -- Troops Out Now" filled the streets, along with the crowd favorite, "Who's the Biggest Terrorists in the World Today? Bush, Cheney and the CIA!"
Among the many speakers at the Minnesota State Capitol, where the march gathered, was Michael Prysner, an Iraq war veteran who represented the ANSWER Coalition. Mike addressed the crowd, "I was sent to Iraq in 2003 not to save the Iraqi people, but to kill the Iraqi people. I was sent not to free the Iraqi people, but to imprison and torture the Iraqi people. I was sent not to liberate Iraq, but to occupy Iraq. There is no longer any question that this war was not for so-called “Iraqi freedom”, it was not an act of self-defense, and it was not simply a foreign policy error by the republican party- it was a well-calculated plan carried out by both parties to dominate the Middle East, killing as many innocent people as necessary and profiting from that human suffering."
Send a Letter Demanding the St. Paul Government Release All Protesters!
The police have engaged in a widespread riot against social justice organizations, resulting in the arrest of around 300 protesters. Most of the arrested are still in jail, and at least one person with a serious medical condition has been refused care.
Even before the Convention began, protesters had the organizing centers raided. Armed groups of police in the Twin Cities have raided more than half-a-dozen locations since Friday night in a series of “preemptive raids." The raids and detentions have targeted activists planning to protest the convention, including journalists and videographers from I-Witness Video and the Glass Bead Collective. These media organizations were targeted because of the instrumental role they played in documenting police abuses the 2004 RNC Convention. Their comprehensive video coverage helped more than 400 wrongfully arrested people get their charges thrown out.
Democracy Now! producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar -- who clearly identified themselves as members of the media -- were arrested, and could face suspicion of rioting charges, a felony. When Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! went to the scene to inquire with a police commander about the arrest of her producers, she too was arrested. A CodePink march and several breakaway marches were also met with police repression. Tear gas and concussion grenades have been used to disperse crowds.
There is an undeniable pattern of police repression at these conventions. In 2004, 1500 protesters were arrested at the RNC. Subsequent litigation on behalf of the protesters revealed that national and local enforcement conspired to deny protesters their civil liberties and civil rights. Protesters were held in miserable conditions, and only mass pressure forced the police to release them.
To send a letter to the Mayor go to this link and scroll down.
This report was filed with information provided by John Beacham of the ANSWER Coalition.
at 11:52 on September 2nd, 2008
I watched the Television news last evening and saw no coverage of this at all ...
Not to mention being on the CNN site and many others throughout the day yesterday - nothing whatsoever was reported on this to my knowledge ...
No suprises there ...
Thanks for this, MoonWolf !!
- reply
annoyed (not verified)at 11:55 on September 2nd, 2008
The Chinese are loving every minute of it.It just shows how truly afraid of loosing the election the GOP really is.If main stream media would show whats really happening it would only help,but fat chance of that happening.
at 12:15 on September 2nd, 2008
This move by McCain's campaign to tap Palin for VP just makes it all the more clear - the GOP has no intention of having a Republican sitting in the oval office when the American economy nose-dives into somewhere near the stone-age, an event destined to occur before too much longer from all indications ...
at 11:41 on September 2nd, 2008
Here is a link to a current video interview with Amy Goodman about her arrest, and I have posted it to the story as well.
at 11:49 on September 2nd, 2008
Thanks for this, MoonWolf, and for posting the video with this story!
at 11:59 on September 2nd, 2008
No problema amigo!
at 11:55 on September 2nd, 2008
Chris Coleman is a democrat too.
at 11:58 on September 2nd, 2008
"They seriously manhandled me and handcuffed my hands behind my back. The top ID [at the convention] is to get on the floor and the Secret Service ripped that off me. I had my Democracy Now! ID too. I was clearly a reporter."
Well you look fine now Amy. Now get back to work!
at 12:00 on September 2nd, 2008
mr204,
What the heck do you think she is doing?