RNC – More journalists arrested

September 5th, 2008

Yesterday at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, a KARE 11 photographer was arrested.  Here’s their story including that tidbit:

KARE photog among nearly 400 arrested on last day of RNC

There was also a WCCO photojournalist arrested, here’s the video:

Arrest of WCCO’s Tom Aviles (with obnoxious advertising)

Paul Demko, Minnesota Independent, was arrested:

If you’re on this bridge, you’re under arrest

… and he had this report:

After about fifteen minutes, the officers began searching and handcuffing everyone on the bridge. “Hands on your head,” they repeatedly barked, cans of mace at the ready. A gentleman a few feet away from me — who I believe was a journalist — informed the officers that he was carrying a gun as they began to arrest him. They pulled him away from the crowd and a team of cops searched him and presumably removed the weapon.

Not long afterwards I was restrained in plasticuffs, thoroughly searched and seated on a sidewalk with other people who were being detained. My status as a journalist meant that I did not spend much time in cuffs. They segregated reporters and legal observers from the rest of the detainees. Our handcuffs were removed and we were seated on a grass median. Metro Transit buses were waiting to transport the not-so-fortunate others, presumably to the Ramsey County Jail.

Eventually I was placed in a van with eight others. We were driven across the Sears parking lot, given a citation for unlawful assembly and released. I got to keep my pair of plasticuffs as a souvenir. But the cops still have two of my pens.

… and then there’s FOX9…

FOX9 crew gets gassed

… and 2 more for AP.  In this article, AP puts YESTERDAY’S arrest count for journalists, JOURNALISTS, to 19:

Police Arrest 200 in March on GOP Convention, including journalists

Caught up in the clash were several reporters assigned to cover the event, including Amy Forliti and Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press. Officers ordered them to sit on the pavement on a bridge over Interstate 94 and to keep their hands over their heads as they were led away two at a time.

The arrests came three days after AP photographer Matt Rourke, also on assignment covering the protests, was arrested. He was released without being charged Monday after being held for several hours. Forliti and Krawczynski, who were among at least 19 members of the media detained, were issued citations for unlawful assembly and released.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said the St. Paul police department and its police chief decided that members of the media would be issued citations and released.

Posted by Carol A. Overland
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