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Amid mass arrests and suppression of media
RNC in Twin Cities: Eight protesters charged with terrorism under Patriot Act
By Tom Eley
6 September 2008
On Wednesday eight members of the anarchist protest group the
Republican National Convention Welcoming Committee (RNCWC) were charged
under provisions of the Minnesota state version of the Patriot Act with
“Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism.”
Republican National Convention Welcoming Committee (RNCWC) were charged
under provisions of the Minnesota state version of the Patriot Act with
“Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism.”
The eight charged are all young, and could face up to seven-and-a-half
years in prison under a provision that allows the enhancement of
charges related to terrorism by 50 percent. They are: Monica Bicking,
Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor,
Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald and Max Spector.
years in prison under a provision that allows the enhancement of
charges related to terrorism by 50 percent. They are: Monica Bicking,
Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor,
Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald and Max Spector.
Among other things, the youth, who were arrested last weekend even
prior to the start of the convention, are charged with plotting to
kidnap delegates to the RNC, assault police officers and attack
airports. Almost all of the charges listed are based upon the testimony
of police infiltrators, one an officer, the other a paid informant.
prior to the start of the convention, are charged with plotting to
kidnap delegates to the RNC, assault police officers and attack
airports. Almost all of the charges listed are based upon the testimony
of police infiltrators, one an officer, the other a paid informant.
“These charges are an effort to equate publicly stated plans to
blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of
terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place
the stated political views of the defendants on trial,” said Bruce
Nestor, president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers
Guild. “The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system
and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public
demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience,” he said.
blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of
terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place
the stated political views of the defendants on trial,” said Bruce
Nestor, president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers
Guild. “The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system
and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public
demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience,” he said.
An affidavit filed by police with the District Court for Ramsey
County that allowed the warrant to raid and arrest declares the RNCWC a
“criminal enterprise” and strongly implies that it is a terrorist
organization. It claimed that numerous examples of weaponry would be
found if the judge allowed the warrants. However, police turned up no
such physical evidence in conducting their raids.
County that allowed the warrant to raid and arrest declares the RNCWC a
“criminal enterprise” and strongly implies that it is a terrorist
organization. It claimed that numerous examples of weaponry would be
found if the judge allowed the warrants. However, police turned up no
such physical evidence in conducting their raids.
“Police found what they claim was a single plastic shield, a rusty
machete, and two hatchets used in Minnesota to split wood. This doesn’t
amount to evidence of an organized insurrection, particularly when over
3,500 police are present in the Twin Cities, armed with assault rifles,
concussion grenades, chemical weapons and full riot gear,” said Nestor.
machete, and two hatchets used in Minnesota to split wood. This doesn’t
amount to evidence of an organized insurrection, particularly when over
3,500 police are present in the Twin Cities, armed with assault rifles,
concussion grenades, chemical weapons and full riot gear,” said Nestor.
In requesting the warrant, the police reminded the court that the
RNC has been declared by the Department of Homeland Security a
“National Security Special Event.” The affidavit did not explain the
connection between this designation and the necessity of the police
raid.
RNC has been declared by the Department of Homeland Security a
“National Security Special Event.” The affidavit did not explain the
connection between this designation and the necessity of the police
raid.
Anarchistic groups like the RNCWC—with their emphasis on the
“direct action” of small groups and their aversion to politics and the
lessons of history—are quite easily infiltrated by agents and
provocateurs. Nonetheless, there is little to suggest that the youth
are violent or that they are anything more than politically naive. The
police evidence is threadbare on the surface, and depends primarily on
the counterfactual charge of “conspiracy”—that those arrested would have committed crimes, or that they are responsible for the crimes of others.
“direct action” of small groups and their aversion to politics and the
lessons of history—are quite easily infiltrated by agents and
provocateurs. Nonetheless, there is little to suggest that the youth
are violent or that they are anything more than politically naive. The
police evidence is threadbare on the surface, and depends primarily on
the counterfactual charge of “conspiracy”—that those arrested would have committed crimes, or that they are responsible for the crimes of others.
Several of those arrested were also members of the student group
“Food not Bombs,” and were working in a soup kitchen at the time of
their arrest.
“Food not Bombs,” and were working in a soup kitchen at the time of
their arrest.
In an interview, Ramsey County Sherriff Bob Fletcher, who has
faced criticism from protesters for his methods, gloated that the aim
of the arrest had been to decapitate the RNCWC, which hoped to
coordinate the protest activities of those attending the demonstrations
from outside of the Twin Cities. “Severing that leadership ... was
huge,” he said. “We only removed 10 percent of the problem, but the 10
percent was the coordinating aspect of it.”
faced criticism from protesters for his methods, gloated that the aim
of the arrest had been to decapitate the RNCWC, which hoped to
coordinate the protest activities of those attending the demonstrations
from outside of the Twin Cities. “Severing that leadership ... was
huge,” he said. “We only removed 10 percent of the problem, but the 10
percent was the coordinating aspect of it.”
The charges against the “RNC 8” stand as a sharp warning to the
working class. The charge “conspiracy to riot” has a long and sordid
pedigree in US history. It has been used against the leadership of
unions and working class parties precisely as a means of “severing the
leadership” from the rank and file. The coupling of this charge with
“terrorism” under the Patriot Act is especially chilling.
working class. The charge “conspiracy to riot” has a long and sordid
pedigree in US history. It has been used against the leadership of
unions and working class parties precisely as a means of “severing the
leadership” from the rank and file. The coupling of this charge with
“terrorism” under the Patriot Act is especially chilling.
The police-state atmosphere in the Twin Cities, not so long ago a center of American liberalism, continued throughout the week.
On Thursday, about 300 protesters were arrested in downtown St.
Paul near the site of the Republican National Convention, bringing to
well over 800 the total number of arrests since before the start of the
RNC.
Paul near the site of the Republican National Convention, bringing to
well over 800 the total number of arrests since before the start of the
RNC.
The protesters had planned to march from the grounds of the state
capital to the Xcel Center, the arena housing the RNC. However, just
before the start of the demonstration, police announced that the march
permit would expire in 10 minutes, at 5 p.m.
capital to the Xcel Center, the arena housing the RNC. However, just
before the start of the demonstration, police announced that the march
permit would expire in 10 minutes, at 5 p.m.
In spite of the police order, hundreds of protesters determined to
carry on the march. After starting out toward the Xcel Center, they
were pinned down on a freeway overpass by police, who intercepted the
march on horseback and bicycles. Police donned gas masks and prepared
tear gas canisters. Intersections were blocked with dump trucks and
steel barriers.
carry on the march. After starting out toward the Xcel Center, they
were pinned down on a freeway overpass by police, who intercepted the
march on horseback and bicycles. Police donned gas masks and prepared
tear gas canisters. Intersections were blocked with dump trucks and
steel barriers.
After an hour in this position, protesters retreated back across
the overpass toward the state capital building, where they were trapped
by yet another police barricade and soon surrounded by a police cordon.
the overpass toward the state capital building, where they were trapped
by yet another police barricade and soon surrounded by a police cordon.
On Wednesday night in Minneapolis, police arrested over 100
outside a concert of the radical rap-metal band, Rage Against the
Machine. Police in riot gear massed outside of the Target Center in the
downtown area. According to Minneapolis Police Captain Larry Doyle, the
police had “intelligence that there may be issues.”
outside a concert of the radical rap-metal band, Rage Against the
Machine. Police in riot gear massed outside of the Target Center in the
downtown area. According to Minneapolis Police Captain Larry Doyle, the
police had “intelligence that there may be issues.”
Prior to ending the concert, the lead singer of Rage Against the
Machine, Zach de la Rocha, asked concertgoers to avoid trouble with the
police. The police presence continued after the concert’s end, however,
until well past midnight, when law enforcement ordered a crowd they
accused of “loitering” to disperse. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “some scuffles followed,” and at 12:30 a.m. police arrested over 100,
who were charged with misdemeanor offenses. Of these 15 were jailed,
two of whom were still in custody the next morning.
Machine, Zach de la Rocha, asked concertgoers to avoid trouble with the
police. The police presence continued after the concert’s end, however,
until well past midnight, when law enforcement ordered a crowd they
accused of “loitering” to disperse. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “some scuffles followed,” and at 12:30 a.m. police arrested over 100,
who were charged with misdemeanor offenses. Of these 15 were jailed,
two of whom were still in custody the next morning.
Members of the antiwar group Code Pink managed to enter the Xcel
center, unveiling banners during the acceptance speech of John McCain.
They were quickly removed from the building.
center, unveiling banners during the acceptance speech of John McCain.
They were quickly removed from the building.
There has also been widespread repression of the media that
covered the protests during the RNC. Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was
arrested on Monday, after protesting the arrest of several members of
her news crew. Also reportedly arrested were Associated Press
photographer Matt Rourke, two cameramen of Twin City CBS and NBC
affiliates, and several independent videographers. There was also an
unverified report that a Fox News crew was gassed.
covered the protests during the RNC. Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! was
arrested on Monday, after protesting the arrest of several members of
her news crew. Also reportedly arrested were Associated Press
photographer Matt Rourke, two cameramen of Twin City CBS and NBC
affiliates, and several independent videographers. There was also an
unverified report that a Fox News crew was gassed.
The media reform movement Free Press has collected over 50,000
signatures demanding that charges against all journalists arrested
during the RNC be dropped.
signatures demanding that charges against all journalists arrested
during the RNC be dropped.
The conventions of the two major parties have been conducted in an
unprecedented police-state atmosphere, in which local police and major
American cities—Denver and the Twin Cities—have been militarized and
placed under the official control of the executive branch of the
federal government. The police have trampled basic democratic
rights—including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the
freedom of the press—with impunity and contempt.
unprecedented police-state atmosphere, in which local police and major
American cities—Denver and the Twin Cities—have been militarized and
placed under the official control of the executive branch of the
federal government. The police have trampled basic democratic
rights—including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the
freedom of the press—with impunity and contempt.
All of this has taken place without a murmur of protest from any
section of the political or media establishment gathered to rub elbows
with delegates and party officials inside the convention halls.
section of the political or media establishment gathered to rub elbows
with delegates and party officials inside the convention halls.
See Also:
Mass arrests of protesters at Republican National Convention
[4 September 2008]
Police raid protest headquarters as Republican National Convention opens
[2 September 2008]
Repression in Denver highlights assault on democratic rights in US
[29 August 2008]
Police continue repressive tactics in Denver
[28 August 2008]
Police repress protesters at Democratic National Convention
[27 August 2008]
Mass arrests of protesters at Republican National Convention
[4 September 2008]
Police raid protest headquarters as Republican National Convention opens
[2 September 2008]
Repression in Denver highlights assault on democratic rights in US
[29 August 2008]
Police continue repressive tactics in Denver
[28 August 2008]
Police repress protesters at Democratic National Convention
[27 August 2008]
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