Protesters face off with police in St Paul

nIndy's Paul Demko is among 400 people on the Marion St. bridge over 94; police say anyone on the bridge is under arrest. 2 minutes ago

No one allowed to cross on John Ireland and Kellogg.About 50 riot cps in army suits with body shields waiting on kellogg and Mulberry #RNC08

RSS_Republicans: RT @notq: rt @chadwho1ders 10 riot cops literally walking with me up to ireland blvd over 94. #rnc08 http://tinyurl.com/66rgsb (expand)

1 minute ago · Reply · View Tweet

patiomancer: "They're having everybody ride around in circles on their bikes to stop the police from touching us." #rnc08

RNCJournalists: PiPress: March is stopped at Cathedral, blocked from Xcel Center. http://is.gd/2e5F (expand) #RNC08 http://tinyurl.com/6hvh2l (expand) less than 20 seconds ago · Reply · View Tweet

One of the protesters' chants flaunted the police: "They're sexy, they're cute, they've got they're riot suits."


Meredith Aby, a spokesperson for the Anti-War Committee, said the expiration of the permit  was unsatisfactory because they want the delegates to know their views against the war.

"They are trying to steal our protest," Katrina Plotz said from the rally stage in front of the Captol steps. "We need to ignore the police intimidation."

Among the crowd were a number of participants who said they had been arrested on Monday when nearly 300 protesters were jailed after a largely peaceful march to the convention site. Small groups of protesters smashed windows, slashed tires, blocked traffic, and harassed convention delegates.

But today's rally, organized by a group called the Anti-War Committee and advertised as "No Peace for the War Makers," acquired a permit to rally on the Capitol grounds and was operating peacefully.

As of Thursday, 16 people had been charged with felonies this week. Eight of them were arrested on charges of conspiracy to riot after preconvention raids. Police disclosed this week that they had infiltrated some of the collection of groups protesting here this week and allege some members talked about kidnapping delegates.

The remaining eight charged with felonies faced offenses including damaging property, obstructing the legal process, and felony riot from their actions during the street protests on Monday, according to Jack Rhodes, a spokesman for the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.

At today's rally, several of those who said they had spent the last few days in jail complained about false charges and being denied phone calls within 24 hours, and asserted that some of their comrades were being held unlawfully until the end of the convention.

longbaugh01: rt @notq Between 300 and 400 people are on the John Ireland bridge and another 300-400 are off the bridge. #RNC08 half a minute ago · Reply · View Tweet