More Disturbing News from the Streets of St. Paul

Item #1: According to A.N.S.W.E.R.: "St. Paul Police Shut Down Concert, Continue Assault; 5,000 Marching Against Poverty Met with Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets" Check out the email alert here. Email the St. Paul mayor to end police intimidation and harassment here.

Item #2: Amy Goodman writes about her arrest and the "threat to democracy" in St. Paul...

Item #3: ACLU condemns police action/mass arrests at RNC in St. Paul.

Item #4: Firedoglake is reporting this from the Ramsey County Jail in St. Paul:

Jason was tased seven times on the street, while completely unresisting. We just heard from him-he's still pulling copper out of his hip from the taser gun, has a long, deep laceration in his leg that is still untreated, was beaten up badly and has a black eye, a hurt mouth and many lacerations, but says he's doing great. Elliot Hughes, a sweet, nineteen year old who came to our day camp, was badly beaten when the cops knocked him off his bicycle. They stepped on his chest, and he was coughing blood all night but received no medical treatment. The guards were calling him ‘Princess' and making homophobic remarks. We heard from Jason that last night, Elliot was making noises to protest not receiving any food for more than twelve hours. Twelve officers entered his cell. Screams were heard for over five minutes. He was tasered three times, maced, and beaten, then removed and the men were told he was being taken to a restraint chair.

Item #5: Lindsey Beyerstein, at Firedoglake, reports on eight protesters arrested and charged with "conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism" under MN's version of the Patriot Act. She quotes the Twin City Indy Media:

Affidavits released by law enforcement which were filed in support of the search warrants used in raids over the weekend, and used to support probable cause for the arrest warrants, are based on paid, confidential informants who infiltrated the RNCWC on behalf of law enforcement. They allege that members of the group sought to kidnap delegates to the RNC, assault police officers with firebombs and explosives, and sabotage airports in St. Paul...

Evidence released to date does not corroborate these allegations with physical evidence or provide any other evidence for these allegations than the claims of the informants. Based on past abuses of such informants by law enforcement, the National Lawyers Guild is concerned that such police informants have incentives to lie and exaggerate threats of violence and to also act as provacateurs in raising and urging support for acts of violence.

"These charges are an effort to equate publicly stated plans to blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place the stated political views of the Defendants on trial," said Bruce Nestor, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. "The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience, he said."

She concludes, "The criminal complaint doesn't allege that any of the defendants committed, or attempted to commit, any of the notional crimes mentioned by the paid informants. This is the first time that criminal charges have been brought under the 2002 law."

Here is a video montage she made of images of RNC security forces gassing peaceful protesters in the streets of St. Paul:

ALERT: Hundreds of Protesters Arrested at RNC in St. Paul, Including Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!

In the days leading up to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, police raided the offices of progressive activist groups planning peaceful protests, including Food Not Bombs. The raids seem to be serious infringements on U.S. citizens' rights to assemble and peacefully protest. It has come to light that police have infiltrated many of these groups through spies. Today, Amy Goodman of the progressive radio program, Democracy Now! was arrested roughly as she advocated for the release of two of her colleagues who had been arrested while they reported on protests from the street. It appears that a virtual police state has been enacted in St. Paul. The early evidence seems to indicate that civil liberties are being trampled left and right, but the mainstream media does not seem to be covering it, at least not sufficiently. Those on the scene are calling police action by local, state and federal authorities, "excessive," "unprovoked" and "illegal." Here is a print story on Goodman and two of her colleague's arrests. Check out these reports here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Footage of police using pepper spray here and teargas here.

For the record, there have been reports of small numbers of masked activists - anarchists? - engaging in violent protests, but according to several reports most of those arrested were/are not engaged in violent protest. As is always the case in these situations, it is hard to get a full grasp of what is going on there right now. Things are evolving fast. No doubt the pre-convention raids and the arrests of peaceful protesters and journalists like Goodman only fuel the more radical and violent elements.

Here is some video of Goodman's arrest:


More footage of harsh police tactics:


Please look at the resources I've linked to in this post and SPREAD THE WORD. Write to your congresspeople and tell them to help put a stop to this. Write a letter to your local newspaper protesting these actions by law enforcement. If you know of other good coverage of these events, please post the links in the comments section of this post.

Of course, the primary concern is what this says about the state of civil liberties in the U.S. The secondary concern is that the Republicans will turn this to their advantage, ramping up a "law and order" rhetoric to rile reactionary elements in the electorate. It is important that progressive media outlets and citizens like you and me become active in spreading the word and defining what is going on in our own words. If the frame gets set by police, or Republicans, that these are just a bunch of violent, radicals destroying social order, it could spell real trouble for the Democrats this fall. Mass, peaceful protest, YES! After the last 8 years, it is understandable. The other stuff, though, is very problematic, even when it is done by a small minority of the protesters...

As my friend Maura Giles-Watson wrote earlier today about the Goodman arrest, "Is this a preview of what the country will be like when the 'Homegrown Terrorism Act' passes-- journalists swept away in unmarked police vans? What/who is next?"

UPDATE: Goodman and her colleagues, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, have now been released. Goodman grills St. Paul Police Chief about arrests.

Attack on Alex Svoboda!

Recently, a young woman from Lincoln, Alexandra Svoboda, was brutally attacked by police in Rhode Island during a peaceful workers rights demonstration. The photos of Alex, who is a member of Nebraskans for Peace, are horrific (see below image and/or press the link to other photos). Her leg is pointed in a very wrong direction from her knee. She has had three vascular surgeries to save her leg and has a number of upcoming procedures yet to go. She is also facing a number of serious legal charges. Please read on to find out more details and how you can support Alex.

PLEASE HELP. PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD...

Here is a letter her dad sent out:

Our daughter, Alexandra Svoboda — who is a member of Nebraskans for Peace, has been is a step-down ward from Intensive Care in Rhode Island Hospital for over a week now. She was injured when three policemen “arrested” her in North Providence, RI during a peaceful demonstration for worker’s rights. (see attached articles). Alexandra has undergone three vascular surgeries on her left left; has an external fixator from her lower tibia to her pelvis; a detached left fibula and torn ACL/PCL/MCL ligaments in her left knee. We’ve yet to start on the orthopaedic reconstruction of her knee and fibula.

Alexandra, 22, was charged initially with three felony assault charges (on officers), one disturbing the peace and one charge of resisting arrest. (North Providence is a separate township than Providence). The charges are bogus and my wife, Jan Enstrom and I have retained excellent legal council for Alex. Our main goal is a healthy recovery and as for the court. We will not settle for anything less than all charges being dropped or acquittal.

The main pt is that Alexandra is a peaceful and sensitive young lady who would never “attack” any officer and eyewitness and photos back this up. Note: We have and have had federal, state and county law officers in our family and Alex would NEVER attack an officer. Period. You, who are parents, already have that protective instinct and when something like this happens, it raises everything to a new level of support and protection. I pray that you never receive a phone call at 6am from your child, half-in tears and drugged, explaining that she is in the hospital with a broken leg and had surgery the night before. You never expect it and, trust me, it’s not a good way to start the day.
We are dealing with some VERY serious (and bogus) charges and we are resolved to get a very good criminal law attorney and have the charges dismissed or acquitted in a court of law. The photos are below are gruesome. The police action, even more so.

I’m not pleased with the LJS’s coverage as it’s incomplete and dated and slanted to show (in my opinion) to favor the police/mayor of N.Providence.

I want to make sure that as many voices are heard in RI from NE as possible. For that matter, Nebraskans need to hear about this and I am NOT happy with the lackluster coverage that the LJS has provided thus far. Compare the two articles. “Google” my daughter’s name. There’s ample info out there and growing. WE NEED HELP IN SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE RI GOVERNOR and Attn General for a full, thorough and independent investigation.

Every letter and email will help, whether to the Lincoln Journal Star, Providence Journal or officials listed below. We need your help.

Scott Svoboda

Support Alex Svoboda website

Collection of Photos (WARNING: Some of these images are gruesome)

Recent Lincoln Journal Star article that does not do justice to the grave nature of Alex’s injuries — or even accurately reflect the information in the local Rhode Island paper!

North Providence, Rhode Island news story

A bank account to help with Alex's medical expenses has been set up at the following address, if you'd like to contribute:

Alexandra Svoboda Fund
c/o Citizens Bank
120 Waterman Street RI-018
Providence, RI 02906

Please write letters of concern to the following:

Governor:
Donald L. Carcieri
Office of the Governor
State House
Room 115
Providence, RI 02903
Telephone: 401 222 2080
Fax: 401 222 8096

North Providence Mayor:
Charles A. Lombardi
North Providence Town Hall
2000 Smith Street
North Providence, RI 02911
Telephone: (401) 232-0900, ext. 226
Fax: (401) 232-3434

State Attorney General:
Patrick Lynch
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 800 852 7776

Police Chief:
Ernest C. Spaziano
North Providence Police Department
1967 Mineral Spring Ave.
North Providence, R.I. 02904
Business line: 401-233-1433
Fax number: 401-233-1438