In MN, Massive Police Raids On Suspected Protestors

X0563511 alerts us to events in Minneapolis and St. Paul in advance of the Republican convention (which has been put on hold because of Hurricane Gustav). Local police backed by the FBI raided a number of homes and public buildings and confiscated computers and other material. From Salon.com: "Last night, members of the St. Paul police department and the Ramsey County sheriff's department handcuffed, photographed and detained dozens of people meeting at a public venue to plan a demonstration, charging them with no crime other than 'fire code violations,' and early this morning, the Sheriff's department sent teams of officers into at least four Minneapolis area homes where suspected protesters were staying. Jane Hamsher and I were at two of those homes this morning — one which had just been raided and one which was in the process of being raided." Here is local reporting from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "Aided by informants planted in protest groups, authorities raided at least six buildings across St. Paul and Minneapolis to stop an 'anarchist' plan to disrupt this week's Republican National Convention. From Friday night through Saturday afternoon, officers surrounded houses, broke down doors, handcuffed scores of people and confiscated suspected tools of civil disobedience ... A St. Paul City Council member described it as excessive, while activists, many of whom were detained and then released without charges, called it intimidation designed to quash free speech."

Anarchists?

[bigattichouse]

Isn't that what they blamed stuff on pre-WW I? What kill the kaiser think? God help us if Ferdinand is shot!

Unconventional weaponry

[Nasajin]

On Saturday afternoon, he displayed a number of the confiscated items: a gun, throwing knives, a bow and arrows, flammable liquids, paint, slingshots, rocks and buckets of urine.

Personally I'm surprised that, upon finding "buckets of urine" that the police decided to take it with them.

Re:Anarchists?

[Anonymous Coward]

Ferdinand was a classmate of John McCain, you insensitive clod!

This sounds familiar

[Len]

Government arrests people for planning to speak in public

Sounds like some other headlines I've seen recently:

Severe pollution in Minneapolis is expected to hamper the Convention

John McCain alleged to be 14 years old, not 72 as claimed

Re:Oblig.

[mazarin5]

Don't give him any, he's a mole!

Re:Rock bottom

[MouseR]

Well they DID ban French fries for a while.

News?

[Anonymous Coward]

In an unrelated event, members of the party faithful went ahead with a public bonfire and barbecue event to celebrate the last 8 years of prosperity enjoyed by party affiliates. A reported 18,000 books, err, cellulose fuel bricks, were ignited as a demonstration of our commitment to pursuing the development of alternative fuels in anticipation of the next 8 years of prosperity.

Long live the party! Bless the USA!

-end satire

Re:Buckets of urine

[MillionthMonkey]

unless someone has a better (serious) explanation for the buckets of urine.

Maybe they didn't pay their sewer bill.

Gustav

[Anonymous Coward]

And who's this mysterious "Gustav" character? An old-school anarchist's name if I ever heard one. Where're the feds when you need them for that kind of violent protest?

Re:Buckets of urine

[Anonymous Coward]

When buckets of urine are outlawed, only outlaws will have buckets of urine.

You can have my bucket of urine when you pry it from my cold, dead freezer.

Re:Oblig.

[houstonbofh]

Don't confuse a good rant with facts. No one wants to hear them anyway.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

In other news...

[sethstorm]

The "Free Speech Zone" has been moved to somewhere on the Michigan-Wisconsin border.

Re:Rock bottom

[Anonymous Coward]

Well they DID ban French fries for a while.

Yes, but wasn't that just to break our addiction to oil?

Re:My weird similar experience in NYC in 2002

[michaelmuffin]

"get off my lawn!"