Video of Amy Goodman being arrested for pleading on behalf of her producers who were illegally arrested by corrupt, Republican controlled "law enforcement."



There has been a massive police effort to stamp out any protests during the Republican National Convention.

Massive police raids on suspected protestors in Minneapolis - Glenn Greenwald (hat tip to Where's the Outrage?)

The corporate media and corrupt government officials are trying to spin these attacks on our Constitution and our freedoms as Americans by falsely claiming that the people arrested and detained are all anarchists bent on violence. Glenn Greenwald (a libertarian) and Jane Hamsher (a Democrat) were among those illegally detained.

VIDEO: “Food Not Bombs” Protesters Raided in Minneapolis
By: Jane Hamsher Saturday August 30, 2008 10:53 am

If you have actually seen the Food Not Bombs people at one of their efforts to feed the homeless, it is obvious that they are among the sweetest and gentlest people imaginable. Portraying them as violent would be laughable if not for the fact that it is being used as a pretext for illegal detainment and kidnapping by the Ramsey County Sheriffs.

Three other people (who are not anarchists, by the way) who were illegally detained by "law enforcement" (two with fraudulent felony charges still pending) were Democracy Now! producers, including Amy Goodman. Being members of the press did not exempt people from the attacks on civil liberties. Here's the latest press release from the Democracy Now! website:

September 01, 2008
Update: Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2008

Contact: Mike Burke

UPDATE

Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC

Goodman Charged with Obstruction; Felony Riot Charges Pending Against Kouddous and Salazar

ST. PAUL--Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.

All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.

On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on: www.democracynow.org

Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a “peace officer.”

Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.

Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities’ law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.

Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists.

Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

Video of Amy Goodman’s Arrest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ