Portland Street Medics describe police brutality and arrests at RNC

Source: The Narcoshpere, Reporters Notebook: Brenda Norrell

The Portland Street Medics, arrested and jailed during the Republican National Convention, describe the police violence and their unjust arrest in a statement. The medics were among hundreds arrested at the convention, including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, AP photographer Matt Rourke and numerous other journalists and medics.

"Four members of the Portland Street Medic Collective who had travelled to the RNC to provide medical care to the radical community were arrested on 9-1-2008. All are now released pending court dates in October," R. Westlund said in the Portland Street Medic statement.

"Before the arrest, the medics were following an unpermitted march around the outskirts of the boundaries of the Excel Center. The march stayed mostly to sidewalks and utilized several pedestrian trails.

"After heading nearly a mile down a bike trail with a river on one side and an unpassable bank on the other side of the road, protesters found themselves under fire from police chemical weapons, having never received an order to disperse. The protestors and the medics fled back up the bike path while the onslaught of chemical weapons and differently-lethal weapons continued behind and next to the fleeing crowd. Police in riot gear ran past the tail end of the running group, continuing to launch weapons into the crowd, forcing those at the back to run through the already dispensed weapons.


Read more: http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2008/09/portland-street-medics-describe-police-brutality-and-arrests-rnc

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Reporters have been arrested, Amy Goodman, Democracy Now, and now EMT Workers. This should upset anyone who thinks that America should be a land of Freedom and Justice for all. I completely agree that there were people who broke the law. My major concern are the innocents. This is what outrages me especially.

And to my Fellow DU'ers that slammed me about being questionable about the police. Once again, I am sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Please F'n Forgive me. I reckon you all are cops. Just so you all know. I do my best to not break the law. I do not use illicit drugs, I admit I speed sometimes. But other than that, I try my best.

Anyway, we cannot allow the innocents to be treated like this, nor should the police be allowed to beat those in custody either. Police Brutality, and excesses are wrong. There is no such thing as Acceptable Evil, and Necessary Losses. Once one goes down that road, all sorts of injustices will be allowed to be perpetrated.

I just joined the ACLU today because I want to do what I can to help bring some accountability to the police over their shredding of the Constitution this week. Not only did I join the ACLU though, but I signed up for an all day ACLU grassroots organizing seminar. The police may have violated my rights, but in doing so they have me getting involved in fighting against them for a long time to come.

When I get more money, I first am giving $ to Democracy Now, then Amnesty USA, then the National Lawyer Guild. We need to support these groups. They are our advocates. Thanks for going out there and demonstrating.

I am now angry. Infuriated.

And convinced that the US isn't a free country and hasn't been for some time.

We don't need the Soviet Union taking us over for this to be reality!

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have been corrupted by a corrupt regime. I remember about a half year after 9/11 Ashcroft went around the country addressing police departments in secret - no press or civilians aloud. This is obviously what he was advocating. A violent and unaccountable police force.

get beat down by police for no other reason than trying to express their feelings.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Taxpayers should be off the hook for any damages stemming from claims of police misconduct related to the Republican National Convention under a first-of-its-kind agreement.
The deal required the Republican Party's host committee to buy insurance covering up to $10 million in damages and unlimited legal costs for law enforcement officials accused of brutality, violating civil rights and other

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/27818659.html

it smells like they were given carte blanche

It's called insurance fraud.

Bush Gang is known for it.

I recently posted about this travesty on an organic gardening forum. **see: peace, love, one-w/nature & the environment and fellow man/woman.** I was extremely careful not to show any partisanship. Mostly because "Hello!"...it had nothing to do w/parties or politics.

I was summarily slammed by one of the more militant, conservative members, which is sort of an oxymoron for organic/sustainable advocates, but you'd be surprised. I was told "What the hell do you expect when you break the law? Poor Amy Goodman, what a whiner!" And not in so many words, but somehow he managed to connect my outrage and this disgraceful incident to anti-Republicanism. What?

So...anytime a citizen complains about abuse of power (political or police) or protests or is merely within 10 feet of a protester and not even actively participating but there as an observer or 'helper' as were the ER staff, they're left-wing-commie-hippie-bleeding heart liberal Democrats who always have it in for the Republicans anyway and are (naturally) 'anti-American'???? Excuse me????

Talk about paranoia! I didn't get into it w/him. Mom always said to "consider the source" and pick your battles. He's an idiot and it wasn't worth it.

"Poor George Bush, what a whiner!" When the trial is held.

I saw the Chicago Cops beat the fuck out of convention protesters way back in 1968. It was all over TV, they attacked journalists, some well known even to a small kid like me.
Anyone acting suprised about this is naive. Anyone apologizing to the cops about this is twisted. Good and decent individuals in law enforcment will speak out against this oppression, and those that do not are the enemy. A jack booted, heavily armed enemy of all things human.
This week was just a display of how cops work every single day when you are not bothering to watch. Every day. All of them are either guilty or complicit, all of them. The ones who whine about it here are the worst. The Propagandists for those who beat the fuck out of Americans for speaking an opinion. Thugs, criminals, Torries.

Nowadays, the MSM whores will not question or cover the true motives of their neocon pimps.

cops who stepped over the line.

in lieu of that, the city of st. paul and its merchants should be boycotted and serious pranksterism begun there.