Tag Archive for 'Minneapolis'

In Soviet Minneapolis, a thought crime lands you in jail

Reports are pouring in from the site of the 2008 Republican National Convention that protesters are being rounded up by local law enforcement raids prior to the convention. “Anarchists” are raided, handcuffed, jailed and then released without any charges being filed. If there are charges filed, they are for things like fire code violations. That, of course, is an age old Soviet tactic for shutting up dissent.

The targets of the arrests are calling the raids as blatant attempts to intimidate and stop them from protesting during the convention. This sort of crap belongs in Soviet Russia and has no place whatsoever in the US.

It’s interesting that this is exactly the same sort of stuff that landed the NYPD and New York City in hot water during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. A Supreme Court Judge fined New York City $1,000 per detainee back then. I guess the police in Minneapolis thinks they can get away with it this time.

It is also very interesting that stuff like this doesn’t seem to happen during the Democratic National Conventions. What is it about the Republicans that cause everyone involved ignore things like The Constitution? Oh, wait…never mind.

-TPP

  1. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30arrests.html
  2. http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/30/police_raids/index.html
  3. http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/08/31/raids/index.html
  4. http://www.startribune.com/local/27703754.html