Terrorizing Dissent -p1- Fall in St Paul

Terrorizing Dissent Part 1
Fall in St Paul
Terrorizing Dissent
The Election Cut

Glass Bead Collective, Twin Cities Indymedia, and other independent media activists have released a new film, 'Terrorizing Dissent', an exposé of events at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Featuring first-person accounts and footage from more than forty cameras on the streets, 'Terrorizing Dissent' focuses on the story of dissent suppressed. People charged with "conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism" speak out against the government's campaign to manipulate media coverage and label civil disobedience and community organizing as terrorism. "If civil disobedience becomes framed as 'terrorism' ... that's baloney. And the reason they're waving the T-word around, there's one reason and one reason only, because they want to squash dissent and they want to justify what the police do in the effort of squashing that dissent." Michelle Gross, Communities United Against Police Brutality

'Terrorizing Dissent' shows the results of the $50 million dollars the Department of Homeland Security gave to local authorities for security — a large chunk of which went to weaponize the police — and the $10 million insurance policy contract between the RNC Host Committee and the City of St. Paul, which shattered Minnesota's civil compact between protesters and police.

Effectively, the Republican National Committee provided financial cover for the widespread, organized suppression of dissent. The FBI and Secret Service coordinated with local police to raid homes and work spaces before the RNC even began. On the streets, the government's intimidation strategy shut down peaceful protests through the heavy use of tear gas, pepper spray, stun grenades, rubber bullets, and other projectiles. This excessive use of force followed months of harassment and surveillance of community activists. At every stage, local officials have refused to release the documentation behind what they did, from the origins of dubious search warrants to joint powers agreements.

The Republican Party's efforts to control the message and crush dissenting voices were led by one of the top local Republicans, troubled Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher, who personally spearheaded the "pre-emptive raid" strategy and spun the media by claiming captured household items were weapons (most notably, the buckets of recycled grey water he dubbed "urine"). At every stage, from fake urine to riot threats, messages of fear were distributed to chill Minnesotans from exercising their First Amendment rights.

Just days before Fletcher launched high-profile preemptive raids against protesters, two of his closest aides, Mark Naylon and Timothy Rehak, were found guilty on federal charges after they attempted to steal $6,000 in an FBI sting. To shore up his murky political future, Fletcher staged an authoritarian spectacle unparalleled in Minnesota history. "We have unlawful search and seizure. We have unlawful arrest without probably cause.... Mass arrest and detention without probable cause.... Then you have excessive force. Spraying people point blank range with mace who aren't resisting and who are peaceful is excessive force. Beating people in jail is excessive force... Those all should be criminal complaints. They'll never be charged as such by any prosecutor." Bruce Nestor, National Lawyers Guild

As local Democratic officials cautiously stepped back, Fletcher put himself in front of a classic "security theater" media campaign to create a non-existent enemy, equate civil disobedience with terrorism, and move in to attack peaceful protests. This plan culminated with the blocking and flashbang bombing of a peaceful march organized by anti-war activists on September 4th as John McCain delivered his acceptance speech at the Xcel Center.

Within weeks, John McCain's campaign turned to attacking Barack Obama on the same grounds as the RNC Welcoming Committee, a group that provided logistical help such as housing, food and a convergence center for demonstrators.

This rapidly produced "election cut" shows how the government — even in a liberal state like Minnesota — easily rolled over to domestic militarization and criminal abandonment of Constitutional freedoms. As the Republican National Convention paved the way for a fall of terrifying national instability and financial chaos, Americans need to know about the techniques used to silence Minnesota.

Cut from hundreds of hours of donated footage, "Terrorizing Dissent" has been released for free on the Internet in HD, FLV and Quicktime formats, under the Creative Commons / CopyLeft license, and its producers encourage everyone to share this film.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• rnc
• protest
• gbc
• mccain
• documentary
• funk

[36742650885]

frightening to realize that something this newsworthy wasnt covered by the mainstream media!!! our republic is almost dead, we are in the last days, the frightening part is most people are so brainwashed they dont know it!! and dont care!!

[alecboi84]

fuckingpigs..spraying us like insects..stop being pussys and shoot back...fuck it,it's almost over anyway...protest ing won't do shit and hasn't for a long time..WAKE UP PEOPLE IF BLOOD NEEDS TO BE SHED SO BE IT>>OUR TROOPSDO IT EVERDAY FOR LIES AT LEAST WE CAN DO IT FOR THE TRUTH!!!1

[jfredericks]

"I think I even got a bullseye today" ..the husband puts his gun and badge on the table. "Whats that my big strong man?" the wife is setting the table. "Well that's when you hit a dirty protester in the head with a gas can grenade. It splits their dirty heads open!" they both laugh lovingly as the wife takes dinner out of the oven. "Thats great hunnie, we wouldn't want those pesky people to start our country acting Democratically again!" "Oh no Peggy Sue" the husband promises "Never."

[jfredericks]

"Hunny, I helped save the world today" ..wife responds lovingly, "You did? Well that's great hunnie. My brave, strong husband." "How did you do that?" husband takes a beer out of the fridge. "Well hunnie, my and the guys pepper sprayed, shot, gassed, and beat a group of peaceful protesters that were trying to make a better world for all of humanity, including you and me. They are against corporate greed and the removal of all oppression, you believe the nerve of those dirty hippies!?

[commonsenseisgone1]

@OUST49 I'm a joke? I am not the one 'fightin the man' on you tube...

[tmaxyb]

As much as I want to believe that Alex Jones is wrong, you only have to take a look at this to know that he is not. The conspiracies are just that, not out of the ordinary, just actions taken in open sight. It's not a Democrat/Republican/Conservati­ve/New Labour thing any more, Its just us against them. Soon they will filter the net and shut down the communications. That will be that, What's at stake? EVERYTHING. Long live the resistance!

[thruid3]

The US is not suffering from a Republican agenda. It is a CORPORATE agenda ! Both parties are complicit. The wars are not ending under Democratic control. Are those responsible for the financial fraud and disaster being investigated or prosecuted !! ??

[sunlightblessing]

the PTB must crate a society worth living in - if they want to have a game to play and a position of nobility - they must make it worth living in - this means no oppression in any forma t- and constantly improving relations with the people and giving them a life truly joyfully worth living.

[mikeadever]

vandalism without cause or ideology? i think its called anti-capitalism!

[ank0ku]

I got linked here by Occupy Wall Street's livestream. They've started mass arresting and macing people protesting.

[russtyballz]

There will be civil war in America except it will be between the people and the government.

[TheRealMrDanks]

get over peaceful protesting...it always end in cops being violent. Go home get some football and hockey pads on...grab a bat and start cracking some riot visors.