Katrina vanden Heuvel blogs:
We join with you in condemning the arrest and harassment of Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and members of her crew on the first day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. These arrests were a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists and an assault on our constitution.
Goodman was arrested for simply questioning police about the unlawful detention of producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar who were covering street demonstrations in St. Paul. All three were roughly handled.
What occured at the RNC convention was disgusting and sheds light on the so-called free society. Police where used like paramilitary forces to squash legitimate consent. Yet people still believe that their main function is to protect the populace and not the power of the ruling elite. They further searched peoples homes on drummed charges. The spin that the media put on the events made it clear that their bias was also to squash dissent. This was nothing but an exercise in social discipline.