Police Harassment of Activists and Journalists in Minneapolis In The Week Before The Republican National Convention
January 29th, 2010 | by admin |
Less than a week before the start of the Republican National Convention, Minneapolis police made their first convention-related arrest. Armed with their voices and a video camera, a group fighting for affordable housing held a sit in-at the Minneapolis Housing and Urban Development office. But when a 5 EYEWITNSES NEWS photographer showed up, a Minneapolis Police officer ordered him to stop filming the sit-in and pushed him into an elevator. Shortly afterwards, a demonstrator was arrested.
In a separate incident, at about 1:30 am on Tuesday morning (26 Aug.), police detained three videographers from the Glass Bead Collective, an organization with a history of documenting police misconduct. They were in the Twin Cities to cover the Republican National Convention. Videographer Vlad Teichberg said he and two others were stopped early Tuesday morning while walking to where they were staying in northeast Minneapolis. Teichberg said police violated the group’s First Amendment rights by taking items including a video camera, a still camera and a laptop.
“They are confiscating the means for us to do our work,” Teichberg said.
An incident report classified the incident as “Homeland Security issue.”
Minneapolis City Council member Cam Gordon, who spearheaded the drive to protect demonstrators, wants an explanation from the police chief and the city attorney. He said the police actions appear to violate the spirit of a resolution passed unanimously last month, which prohibits seizing cameras except during an arrest or when it captures evidence of a crime.
“We don’t want to hide anything and I don’t think we want anything to be hidden,” said Gordon.
Minneapolis police spokesman Bill Palmer said that the group was stopped on suspicion that they were trespassing in a nearby railroad yard. Authorities are concerned transportation could be a target during the Republican National Convention.
The three videographers said they did not trespass.
Reported by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS KSTP on Wednesday, 27 August 2008.
Duration : 0:2:28
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7 Responses to “Police Harassment of Activists and Journalists in Minneapolis In The Week Before The Republican National Convention”
By DMRH69 on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
USA cops are …
USA cops are trained to treat the public they “protect & serve” as a Police-state. USA must fullfill the Biblical prophecy of REVELATION-13, “The 2nd beast”. In other words, its going to get worse, not better if the USA is to “makes an image of the 1st beast” (medievel Papacy) as it is fortold.
By Bontee3488 on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
Your right that it …
Your right that it is mainly a case of bad cops, but it is also a case of infringing on our freedoms, or rights as American citizens under the constitution. Not all cops are bad, but it seems that there are a growing # of cops out there that are corrupt, all over the country. I believe that those in positions of authority should uphold their oath to defend the constitution and protect/serve the people. Unfortunately more officers seem to support higher agendas instead.
By Bokehlicious717 on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
Police are not …
Police are not there to protect the public…they are protecting the government and their own asses.
By davitodude on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
This isn’t a case …
This isn’t a case of freedom, but bad cops. In my town the police are there to protect and serve which they do more than a great job of. Where I use to live you would constantly see their dropout colors and stupidity along with the new found levels of power. Harassment is always going to go on in smaller towns.
By kkkcleaners on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
Amazing. he police …
Amazing. he police have become NAZI like bullies.
By idareU2mov on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
Under investigation …
Under investigation for trespassing??? ahahhahhah Hilarious/outrageous… It is shameful what police/high school dropouts get away with… If I were president, there would be some real changes in this town…
By jsnasselin on Jan 29, 2010 | Reply
Watch all the …
Watch all the videos about police brutality in Minn. at the RNC if you don’t think there was any problems… When the police told protesters if they don’t want to get arrested to go south…then they pinned them onto a bridge and arrested all 250 of them.
And to think about all the soldiers in Iraq fighting for the freedom we don’t even have…