# Democracy Now! Host and Producers Arrested at Republican Convention **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 2, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703 "2008-09-02T17:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/41 "2008-09-04T17:03:06Z")
Yes, the people to whom I was referring were meeting to plan a protest. See my linked article above. The man in the cite you provided wasn’t even attached to the group, nor is he linked to any group in your article. Because one whacko had molotovs, that must mean the people in those houses were really planning a bombing, not a protest? I don’t understand what connection you’re trying to make between the two. The paragraphs directly above yours states: "City Attorney John Choi said his office filed **gross-misdemeanor charges ranging from riot to obstruction of legal process** against 47 people Wednesday. More than 100 people were cited for misdemeanors, authorities said. Prosecutors declined to bring felony charges in 44 cases. Of those, 16 were referred to the St. Paul city attorney’s office for consideration of non-felony charges, one person was released pending further investigation and 27 cases were dismissed outright, Gaertner said. " If you can explain how meeting in someone’s home to discuss a protest is “criminal damage to property,” I’d greatly appreciate it. Especially since the article I linked states the neighbor of one resident who was being handcuffed specifically told police there was no property damage and the police ended up having to release that person. It took several hours to even produce a search warrant. All of this, and you really are supporting that the vast majority of these charges are legitimate? ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/42 "2008-09-04T17:48:46Z")
Even if Goodman was a little too aggressive in finding out why they had arrested her producers and battered them (I don’t think she was from the video) her producers were just covering the story as was the AP photographer they arrested. Even if some of the groups they raided were planing on doing vandalism rather than just peaceful protesting the journalists who were raided for “conspiring” to film the police were not. I hope the end result of this is a huge lawsuit that makes the police and sheriffs department think twice about abusing the press in future. the ACLU is looking into it. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/43 "2008-09-04T17:50:54Z")
> [@Syntropy](#): > > If you can explain how meeting in someone’s home to discuss a protest is “criminal damage to property,” I’d greatly appreciate it. It’s not. It is (allegedly) conspiracy to commit riot in the second degree in furtherance of terrorism. As mentioned. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/44 "2008-09-04T19:11:38Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > I hope the end result of this is a huge lawsuit that makes the police and sheriffs department think twice about abusing the press in future. the ACLU is looking into it. As a taxpayer to both the City and the County, this is what I’m really afraid of. Four years ago, in New York City, the local police were directed by shadowy Federal Officers (FBI or Secret Service) to arrest people, and they did. Then after the Convention, those Federal people went back to Washington DC, and the local police were left to face many ‘false arrest’ lawsuits. And the NYC taxpayers had to pay when they lost. I had hoped our local officials would have avoided that here. So far this year, we taxpayers are paying several thousand dollars a day to cover lost police misconduct lawsuits. We certainly don’t need any more! ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/45 "2008-09-04T20:13:28Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > As a taxpayer to both the City and the County, this is what I’m really afraid of. > > Four years ago, in New York City, the local police were directed by shadowy Federal Officers (FBI or Secret Service) to arrest people, and they did. Then after the Convention, those Federal people went back to Washington DC, and the local police were left to face many ‘false arrest’ lawsuits. And the NYC taxpayers had to pay when they lost. I had hoped our local officials would have avoided that here. > > So far this year, we taxpayers are paying several thousand dollars a day to cover lost police misconduct lawsuits. We certainly don’t need any more! That was actually one of the things that Goodman mentioned, is that she thought that people would have learned from the millions that New York had to pay out for this kind of nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/46 "2008-09-04T21:04:44Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > Uh huh. Are you aware that covering your face is such a sign of violent protest that most states stipulate that you must protest openly? > > Minnesota Code 609.735 CONCEALING IDENTITY. > A person whose identity is concealed by the person in a public place by means of a > robe, mask, or other disguise, unless based on religious beliefs, or incidental to amusement, entertainment, protection from weather, or medical treatment, is guilty of a misdemeanor. > > The reason for this is pretty clear on first reflection - masks and hoods were what allowed the Klan to get away with its nasty business for so long. They will sic homeland and cops on you if you can be identified. The code is so they can use their authority on you. When you are leaving they are getting license plate numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/47 "2008-09-04T21:17:49Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > They will sic homeland and cops on you if you can be identified. The code is so they can use their authority on you. When you are leaving they are getting license plate numbers. How do you remember to breathe? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/48 "2008-09-04T22:12:32Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > It’s not. It is (allegedly) conspiracy to commit riot in the second degree **in furtherance of terrorism.** As mentioned. > > Regards, > Shodan But the bolded bit does not even deserve to be dignified with a parenthetical “allegedly”. Not even if some fucktard in the St. Paul PD is dumb enough to allege it. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703/49 "2008-09-04T22:29:03Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > I saw the video. She heard that her workers had been arrested. She went up to a cop and told them she and they had high level press passes. She did not push through. The cop just grabbed her and wrestled her away. He was aggressive and physical. When she pointed out all 3 had convention passes ,he yanked them off. They bound all 3 with plastic cuffs. BULLSHIT, you fucking dumbass and liar. He tried to get her to leave. He gently pushed her off, but she would have none of it. She tried to push herself past him and she got arrested. So fuck you and you’re lying, the scumbag violent protestors who unnecessarily add to the cops workload, and fuck Amy Goodman, possibly the ugliest woman to ever live. Yeah, it’s got nothing to do with anything, but fuck her anyway—with gonzomax’s dick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democracy-now-host-and-producers-arrested-at-republican-convention/461703.md?page=2)