Overzealous riot police at a peace march during the 2008 Republican National Convention

This is at a peaceful, yet "unlawful" protest/march in front of the Minnesota State Capitol on the night John McCain spoke at the RNC in Saint Paul. The police box in some of the protesters at an intersection and place them under arrest. I'm maced at the end of the video after filming a member of the press as he's shoved to the ground by the police.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• republican
• national
• convention
• rnc
• riot
• police
• brutality
• pepper
• spray
• mace
• protest
• anarchist
• arrest
• boxed
• in
• minnesota
• state
• capitol
• I-94
• cedar
• bridge
• media
• press
• 2008
• saint
• paul
• john
• mccain

[2204Alpha]

keep in mind not one person was arrested for protesting, thats not illegal. What is illegal is blocking a public road.

[travisspangler]

@2204Alpha Completely inaccurate. They were arrested for "unlawful assembly."

[2204Alpha]

@travisspangler unlawful assembly means they assembled AND broke another law in the process...ie obstructing a roadway. Has nothing to do with free speech. Had it been a march protesting law police pay same thing would have occured UNLESS they obtain a permit to block the road, which is easy. And its NOT a permit to protest its a permit to block the road.

If i'm going to have a parade or a bike race I have to obtain the same permit, why shouldnt other people who gather in the same manner.

[travisspangler]

@2204Alpha The "unlawful assembly" law in Minnesota states that it's illegal for three or more people to assemble "with intent to carry out any purpose in such manner as will disturb or threaten the public peace." So basically you can be arrested for protesting in Minnesota--WITHOUT breaking any other law in the process--if the police determine your assembly meets the rather vague criterion of "intending to disturb public peace."

[TheOldNihilist]

Your dad is lying.

I'm from NYC and the cops there are about as honest as the government they supposedly serve.

New York state is Democratic country kid.

The people there don't take any shit off the police.

The police are a joke in Brooklyn.

Could be why your mom left your dad.

[snorklespy]

I want to see an anti police brutality comment that is not laced with anarchist, or merely biased derogatory sayings. I am against the tactic of singling out a protester and then attack the whole lot claiming self defense. Didn't see that here. I think the police did their job.

[Sandyvdog]

@2204Alpha FINALLY SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN

[Sandyvdog]

I chose this video because of the big word :D

WEEEEEEEW

[MickScarborough]

These idiots are just fucking kids that do not know shit about politics. They just think its hip to protest anything.

[IamtheBurceDickenson]

What a bunch of idiots.

[DrVeinard]

Take that hippie!!! ahahahaha

[soflo23]

dont really see how they were being over zealous. i see a bunch of men and women doing their jobs and a bunch of stinky little anarchists being assholes.

[ebrowne369]

@babubabumand they could have easily got a permit ahead of time, so the police could arrange different routes for vehicles. they were not being peaceful when they decided they could just block off traffic on a busy road and waste the police's time.

[ebrowne369]

@travisspangler they were disturbing public peace by blocking the road. the unlawful bit about their assembly was the blocking of that public road. they could have got a permit, but they chose to challenge the police by not getting one. while i do believe in freedom of expression, you shouldn't take away other peoples freedoms in that process.

also, one of the guys had a gas mask, so it might not have been that peaceful.

[Fr33d0m4a11]

I tell you what Police have turned into an occupying Army. They dont even look like police. They look like a military regime now. America is no longer free. We are a red nation now thanks to our new Police/KGB force.The people need to rise up and rid ourselves of the occupying force. If we cant do it alone then we need to ask help from other nations willing to send their military to help us. This Police force are Traiotrs to the American people.