Mpls. to consider more rights for RNC protesters

KSTP.com ^ | 7/15/08 | Nicole Muehlhausen

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

The Twin Cities will become a battleground between security and civil liberties when the Republican National Convention begins in less than seven weeks.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has learned activists will press for more protections for protesters Wednesday.

"There is cause to worry. That's why we're focused on making sure that the laws are in place to protect people as they plan to exercise their rights," Jude Ortiz said.

Ortiz is part of the Coldsnap Legal Collective, a group of volunteers who run a hotline to help people in police custody. He explained the group wants certain protections in Minneapolis to be reinstated.

"I'm going to focus on making sure these protections are put back on the books so that they're there to help protect people," Ortiz explained.

Minneapolis City Councilman Cam Gordon said he plans to introduce an amendment in a committee meeting Wednesday.

If approved, it would put certain restrictions, repealed last month in a policy overhaul, back in place. This would include banning police from using plastic bullets, keeping files on demonstration organizers, seizing cameras, and using pepper spray or mace—except in limited circumstances.

"This is not going to change our focus on keeping the city safe," explained Minneapolis Police Sgt. Jesse Garcia.

Garcia pointed out that the department does not even use plastic bullets and does not plan to seize cameras or violate anyone’s free speech.

"We want to make sure that we ensure that people have their public rights but we want to make sure they have police protection," Garcia said.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Minneapolis welcomes criminals.

I'm shocked.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Wouldn’t it be great if the GOP would move their convention to a less criminal-friendly state?

[MovementConservative]

Let them show up and burn the city down. If they want to tie the police hands, then they shouldn’t be surprised when anarchy breaks out and the place looks like Detroit on Devil’s Night. Protester who blocks traffic or interferes with commerce and traffic should be immediately housed in temporary cells for the night.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

The lefties in St. Paul and Minneapolis government have welcomed and encouraged the anarchists and other lefty protesters ever since the RNC committed to the Twin Cities.

They can’t figure out why they are having a difficult time recruiting volunteers to work the convention.

Clueless, as usual.

[taxesareforever]

I’ll bet they will seek protection for muslim protestors.

[max americana]

Can someone tell these idiot protestors that Bush ISN’T running for president anymore?

[Aussiebabe]

Why were the Republicans so stupid to have their convention there in the first place?

[CaspersGh0sts]

"Can someone tell these idiot protestors that Bush ISN’T running for president anymore?"

The Democrats are going to be running against Bush for at least another decade. It's the kind of stance you have to take when your platform amounts to a flim-flam confabulation of empty rhetoric.

Whether they like it or not, Bush gives the Democrats purpose and in many ways defines them, though in an antithetical fashion and only on certain issues.

[CaspersGh0sts]

"Why were the Republicans so stupid to have their convention there in the first place?"

I'd guess the same reason the Democrats decided to hold theirs in Denver, wouldn't you?

[Aussiebabe]

As I understand it Denver is a hot spot for the liberals and the Democrats, so it is ideal for them to have it in a city that supports them and that has progressively been becoming Democratic. On the other hand there is little support for the Republicans in Minneapolis —just the reverse. The Republicans had to know that the city was going to encourage protesters. I think it was really a stupid move on their part.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

City government will protect protesters' rights by banning police from using plastic bullets, keeping files on demonstration organizers, seizing cameras, and using pepper spray or mace—except in limited circumstances.

When asked about rumors that the city was purchasing the involuntary gastro-intestinal motility weapon called the "crap cannon" an official of the Democrat-controlled city government admitted that it was but the cannon was for the protesters to use against the Republicans. :)

[70th Division]

Well isn’t that amazing. The democrats on the other hand and for their convention are passing more laws to make more things protesters do illegal. You wonder why we loose election?