MPR News: Final day of RNC Protests in downtown St. Paul

[2wheels88]

Why are police so millitarised and using these tactics on obviously peaceful protesters? Watch Police State 2000.police State 2, police State 3 and 4, the documentaries will explain the reason and its happening in all north America

[urdumbfoo]

how dare they protest against an oppressive government!

don't they know this is AMERICA!?

[buisyman]

Jesus. Lead by a bunch of over the hill hippies beating on drums and chanting. THIS is what they call PROGRESSIVE?!?

[RacistRazaRaper]

It's good Minnesota is so nice, for these people. They should march in LA and watch the gangs come out and mug them. MS-13 could light them up with machine guns and collect the wallets. Not that I'm suggesting the rule of law is a good thing. Damn racist (affirmative action) police forces!

Better yet, try it in Mexico City!  The leaders arrive, the mob runs out to rape, rob, beat, and shoot protestors, and the survivors crawl to the American embassy and scream "America sucks! Let me in!"

[ManoftheBeret]

I do have to agree that Starhawk and her pagan hippie crew are obnoxious as fuck.

[MoonbatsAreDingbats]

Well, then??? Behave yourselves!

[karabou86]

i'll never forget that day...4 hours in jail drenched in pepper spray, not crying from the pain but rather the loss of my faith in everything this country was meant to stand for.

[theOnlyPadreDiehard]

if i were there, i would just throw whatever i could find at random police guys.... what are they gonna do, shoot into the crowd. haha screw them. just my opinion........

[JohnR173]

My dad was working down there on standby as a St. Paul Paramedic. He said it was just nuts!

[udwightube]

mccain u suck dats y u lost

[bookwoman40]

It continues to shock me that this happened in my city, and there seems to be so little reaction by our public officials. The police must not be so anonymous. They must be easily identified by wearing large badge numbers on the front and back of their uniforms. I never would have guessed this would have happened in St. Paul. I lived in Chicago, 1968. I hang my head in shame, that I can see a similar reaction to group protest by the SPPD . Abuse of power is a frightening thing.

[patiopatty]

I'm not leaving! I'm going to stay and fight! You MUST NOT let them get away with stealing our constitution. This is just the beginning friends...arm yourselves now, or yeah, get out!

[AllDemThangs]

If I were one of the riot police,I would pucnch one of those hippies,right in the face.

[ManoftheBeret]

@AllDemThangs Fortunately, you're an internet tough guy and nothing more.

[TomMorelloWannabe]

This is all started because a bunch of activists decided to voice their opinions.

Total bullshit.

[superrabbi2000]

...That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Thomas Jefferson

[tomitstube]

Somewhat reminiscent of Tiananmen Square. Heavy handed miltary police tactics. And for what?

You know why neo-cons love to tell liberals to "love it or leave it"? It's because neo-cons have nowhere to go, they wouldn't be welcome anywhere in the world. That's why they cling so hard to their fucked up views on military democracy.

[jsteitz08]

hmmm...

ME=there

You=????

You seem like one of those dudes who over simplifies and assumes things in accordance with the dictates of your ideology. You have the uncanny ability to fit otherwise complicated events and issues into little narratives that imply the world.

All is good natured though friend.

Today is not a day to be sour at one another. For one day I think maybe were just... Americans?

[Beerlejuice]

Police obviously trying to scare and intimidate people. There was no reason for all that gear, and horses and firing off tear gas. They're scared to death of a difference of opinion. They don't know what America is. McCain, Palin, Bush and Cheney are the true agents of terrorism, they are the true enemy. Why should we send troops to fight for some other country's freedom when were losing our civil liberties at home? I'm ashamed this is in our own country. United States of Hypocrisy

[pntbll2006]

Leave then.

[Beerlejuice]

Typical simplistic response, you'd rather live in a state where they take away your freedoms and you can't deal with someone using some common sense and rationality talking about why we should fix this country and how we don't have to just accept this bullshit and we can do things differently, but no you just reply with that whole nationalist idea that if you have an issue of the country then you should leave. That's taking the easy way out and just accepting the shit that they throw at us.

[pntbll2006]

Do you know what a permit to protest is? They had them in denver and they followed them, you break the permit, you pay the consequences.

[mrbrunelle]

The permit to protest is written in the U.S. constitution. It's called freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

[RukiNagisa]

well said beer

[raineydr]

Welcome America to the Police State. Our fascist government has taken away our right to protest.

America is on the wrong path.

[tgscho]

for real man

not many people can tell it

shame

[rickrocker]

"Welcome America to the Police State."

You've never been to Saudi Arabia, Mexico, or any police governed country, have you. It's a rhetorical question, I already know the answer.

[effthegov100]

Rickrocker it's dumb asses like you who can't fucking spell.  It's the right to bear arms. You stupid fuck.

[bigjaytexas]

Land of the free my ass

[rickrocker]

Mobs like these are the reason we have the right to bare arms.

[immortalpoet]

"Mobs like this?" This was a peaceful march until the cops decided to fire tear gas and flash-bang grenades into the crowd. Not a mob.

[rickrocker]

"This was a peaceful march until"

Okay, can you give me the name of the person who held the permit so I might see what the city said about blocking traffic, breaking windows, tresspassing, vandalizing, etc etc etc? LOL Good thing regular people aren't police, you would have been shot! LOL

[immortalpoet]

Anarchists were causing trouble on day one. On day four (when this video was taken) there was no vandalism, no breaking windows, no trespassing, no violence. Yes, there is blocking of traffic, but that's kind of what happens during a protest. You seriously would have shot a bunch of peaceful protesters? You've got something wrong with you, man.

[rickrocker]

"Anarchists were causing trouble on day one"

Sounds like you know who to blame. Lesson learned.

"but that's kind of what happens during a protest"

That's why the police come. You can get a permit from the city and the cops will never come, unless you violate the permit.

"You've got something wrong with you, man"

Following the rules set by my community makes something wrong with me? WOW.

"You seriously would have shot a bunch of peaceful protesters?"

Probably not.

[jsteitz08]

Sorry dude but the whole "anarchist" thing is getting old. This was a tired media wide campaign to tie a relatively small group of vandals with a much larger movement, and in doing so excusing the use of otherwise unnecessary force. I know exactly what happened that week. I was in the anarchist march monday, I got tear gassed tue. I got wrongfully detained wen. and I got tear gassed again on thur. I watched children, cripples, and eldery tear gassed for standing in the street. I broke no laws.

[jsteitz08]

Blocking traffic?, Law enforcement blocked nearly every bridge into down town Saint Paul. Traffic was blocked not because protesters were blocking it but rather they were trapped there, John Ireland, Cedar St. bridge. The police had no tactics that night other than keep it out of downtown, tear gas kids in residential niehborhoods sure, but god forbid the national media sees someone with a sign outside the convention site.

[rickrocker]

"Law enforcement blocked nearly every bridge into down town Saint Paul"

How did all those people get into the convention? Why would they block the streets, I wonder?

[jsteitz08]

I'm sorry,? Were you there?... Yes they did, along with most all downtown exits off interstate 94. I was in car took me nearly an hour to find a way. It wasn't traffic being blocked that concerned them, the nights convention activities were in full swing, delegates were already in the Excel. They couldn't give a flying shit about the residents of St.Paul, They didn't all week. No, what concerned them was letting them downtown, for national media to see.

[rickrocker]

If you missed the convention because some idiots protested and didn't even know what they were protesting, don't get pissy with me. Those streets were blocked, not because of the convention, but FOR PROTESTS! St Paul wanted to host the convention, then its own nutty citizens tore their own city to shreds. Hell no, I wasn't there, you think I want to put myself in that position? Please don't insult me this way. The only way I would have shown up is as a guardsman.

[jsteitz08]

Are you actually arguing that police did not blockade the vast majority of bridges and on ramps into the city thursday night? Regardless of the fact I saw exactly that with my own eyes and you in fact weren't even there?...ok... "Idiots who don't know what there protesting." Way to stay above the fray and formulate an informative and compelling argument. You sir are the reason political discourse in this country is what it is, divisive, ill informed and mean spirited.

Have a nice day.

[lushlars]

let me ask a dumb question. doesn't the tear gas affect the horses?

[immortalpoet]

The horses were actually wearing masks and goggles as well.

[anorexiconos]

its our right to gather and have ourselves heard, we knew the risks and didnt give into the police intimidation that was used against the protesters. and as much as they might not like it, we were heard

[bigwalter]

U do have the right, and the St. paul/Mpls. police are VERY tolerant, they put up with a lot. They were not trying to intimidate the regular protesters, they so-called "Anarchists" where the real problem. Denver didn't let the protesters even get close to their convention.

[anorexiconos]

i understand the police were tolerant, but as i was leaving an intersection they also used a horse to "persuade" me along my way, this after they had charged them through some of the protesters as we were leaving the john ireland bridge. i understnad they were doing their job, but they were still slightly heavy handed.

[sheifaceee]

I got beaten for laughing at the amount of cops they brought in AFTER they broke up the group. I was laughing to myself, not giving any attitude.

[Spandetta]

apes4life, your name is right on. Think like a monkey and you'll keep electing your kind... and the people who work peacefully for a good cause, the ones fighting the good fight, will keep on ignoring you.

[apes4life]

I guess if I didn't want to "breath the gas directly", I'd avoid places where gas was apt to be deployed, say, at a march after the cops have given me ample time to disperse.

[ratm612]

Goggles and and/or a bandana soaked in apple cider vinegar or a gas mask.

[apes4life]

What's with the bandanas? Do they all want to be cowboys? I don't see any boots or cowboy hats. I guess they need to work on the cowboy look a little more.

[danspeaks]

they think it will help them with the tear gas lol

[immortalpoet]

The bandanas didn't do a whole lot, but it's better than breathing the gas directly in.

[danspeaks]

i think that they would to more if they were wet or had wet towels anyone know?

[anorexiconos]

we used vinegar to neutralize it on the bandanas

[rae37066]

This just WRONG!!!!!!!