Press Freedom Victory: Democracy Now! Wins Settlement Over Arrests at 2008 GOP Convention

www. DemocracyNow.org - On Monday, Democracy Now! reported a final settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by Democracy Now! Host Amy Goodman, along with producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, challenging the police crackdown on journalists at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Democracy Now! plays excerpts of a news conference of our announcement, held yesterday in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan, where hundreds are camped out with the Occupy Wall Street protest. They were joined by their attorneys to announce the settlement, Steven Reiss of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and Anjana Samant of the Center for Constitutional Rights. "There is a reason why freedom of the press is in the First Amendment. Because without freedom of the press, there is no democracy," Reiss says. "That is a lesson that applies not just abroad. We have seen many times in recent months abroad, it applies here as well."

For the complete transcript, podcast, and for additional information about Democracy Now! and coverage of the Republican National Convention in 2008, visit http://www.democracynow.org

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• democracy now
• dn
• news
• amy goodman
• sharif abdel kouddous
• nicole salazar
• arrests
• republican national convention
• rnc
• 2008
• journalist
• freedom of press
• minneapolis
• police
• st. paul
• brutality
• settlement

[fahernandezp1]

Police activity during protests is making America look more and more like a dictatorship. It is obvious that Democracy is disappearing in the US, the dictatorship of the rich and powerful is what dominates. I feel sorry for the american people.

[blunt1984]

Let's hope the next step isn't out of the US-backed "friendly" dictatorships' playbook:

blatantly assassinating any journalists who aren't pro-government.

[urcritic]

I think George Orwell put it best: "If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever"

[SufitMusic]

America and other countries, including the UK invaded Iraq (and killed tens of thousands of people) to steal oil. There needs to be a total change of attitude and consciousness backed up by law. Huge corporations and capital interest can no longer be allowed to carry out such massive destruction – fascistic destruction motivated by extreme greed. It is the people of countries across the world who bailed out the bankers.

[TheChaiShan]

The United States is not a democracy!

[rolovolo]

@Malgorzata64

Is not about what I think or wish,

It is about those cops own conscious choices

and the responsibility everyone has to take

for our own actions.

If something happens to those cops as a result of

their choices, so be it, that would be their own personal

learning experience.....

[Malgorzata64]

@rolovolo is that what you think should happen? would that be right? would that be just? If I would be in Amy's place and had suspicion that that's what would happen I would never pursue the path. I can't believe she would either.

[Malgorzata64]

@rolovolo is that what you think should happen? would that be right? would that be just? If I would be in Amy's place and had suspicion that that's what would happen I would never pursue the path. I can't believe she would either.

[asynkronos]

I'm heading for Washington in a couple of hours. My tent and sleeping bag are in the car. Who in hell do these people think they are? We have the constitutional right to make citizens' arrests of everyone from these fascist thugs to Bush, Cheney and Obama. Authorities who don't back us up are treasonous scum.

[misinglink15]

Different people from different backgrounds meeting face to face and discussing one simple question, what the fuck do we want?