MICHAEL ISIKOFF AND MARK HOSENBALL | TERROR WATCH

Having a Riot in St. Paul

Cops put the hurt on 'anarchist' protesters.

By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Sep 4, 2008 | Updated: 1:25  p.m. ET Sep 4, 2008

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  • Posted By: thecryingprophet @ 10/22/2008 10:16:30 AM

    This article IS very distorted. Amy Goodman and other reporters were abused and had their credentials forcibly removed when they were displayed; they were held and charged in order to keep them silent. What is sad, shraidha, is that the rights that patriots have died for are being stripped away from the nation that they fought to protect; the liberties they believed were essential to democracy are shunted aside as relics from an age long past and people like you applaud the fact while completely ignorant of the fact that those same rights and liberties have been stripped from you as well. We MUST have a free press, and free speech, and freedom of religion or we simply do not live in a free society in which government can or will be held accountable to the people they are supposed to represent; if we are no longer free then we live in a tyrannical, fascist society and, like the framers masquerading as Indians, are justified in our protests and in hiding our identity. Either everyone is free or no one is.

  • Posted By: shraidha @ 10/15/2008 2:24:31 PM

    NO SYMPATHY for anybody wearing a mask. If you are wearing a mask and aspire to "shut down" anything...you deserve much worse than being zip-tied and handled a little roughly.But don't worry anarchists;keep it up and your revolution may bear bitter fruit. Patriots grow tired of this spoiled rotten culture of entitlement and when the rights someone else fought for are used against the very society that cultivated said rights; something has gone horribly awry and will ultimately be fixed.Good job cops!!!

  • Posted By: Nigel Parry @ 10/15/2008 1:28:19 PM

    This is a sad and distorted article that can't even get the name of the anarchist group correct. It's the RNC Welcoming Committee not the Republican National Committee Welcoming Committee. If you were to write it out in full it would be Republican National CONVENTION Welcoming Committee.

    Amy Goodman was arrested in "the police response"? Please. You talk as if what happened to her happened two feet from the 2-3 people breaking windows.

    This is nonsense, it's like reading the kind of neocon propaganda that told us Iraq was responsible for 9/11 and posed a threat to us. So what are Newsweek publishing this garbage for? Have you learned nothing?

    Are there no journalists in the room?

  • Posted By: Ben Stroked @ 10/05/2008 5:12:49 PM

    I guess the good ole days of protect and serve are a thing of the past here in america. The trend of police "pigs" putin the hurt on people is growing, Im all for protecting the people, but we gota rember that Hittler put the hurt on the jews, castro put the hurt on some cubans and if the fact that "put the hurt on" dont say enuff for the abusive power of the police, what will?

  • Posted By: anik @ 09/29/2008 7:59:44 PM

    This all sounds like the same old crap we get from FBI and Homeland Security OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! No evidence just rumor, unsubstantioated half-baked uninformed opinion as an excuse to loose the police dogs on hundreds of people who were nothing to do with any of these alleged "Plots". Where's the evidence? there is none!! Isn't it amazing that those who are supposed to protect freedom are the very ones who don't believe in it? shades of Germany 1933!!!

  • Posted By: mrzoid @ 09/04/2008 1:53:45 PM

    Ok, violent Anarchists, sure, beat heir asses; but i saw footage of some protesters handing the riot cops flowers, and getting pepper sprayed in the face numerous times. It would be nice if either side showed just a bit of discretion.

    • Posted By: Tomster @ 09/04/2008 6:40:56 PM

      Did you see what happened before they got pepper sprayed? No, I would guess that the news crew deleted the police either warning them to get back or they were attacked by the people with the "flowers" in some way that required that kind of response.Come on, cops in the twin cities are all college graduates and are not thugs!

      • Posted By: haynessemperfi @ 09/09/2008 4:27:13 PM

        I am sure all the cops at the LAPD are college graduates but Randy King still got a good asswhipping. Come on, cops in any city are liability to do anything with or without bachelors degree.

        • Posted By: emal7717 @ 09/11/2008 10:43:38 AM

          Dont come up with Rod King...they were given a direct order to disband and they failed to follow orders. Your name incluses Semper Fi...Always Faithful As a Marine you have been trained to take and follow an ordr or suffer the results being an Art15 or Art34 Hearing.

          You of all people know that this kind of protest is dangerous for all involved, and needs to be disbanded as quickly as possible.

          Do not use the race card to describe the lawful actions of law enforcement.

          • Posted By: haynessemperfi @ 09/15/2008 6:15:59 PM

            One..As a Marine, I support a Democracy which is many voices but one goal. Not everyone in that voice will agree with what to do and how to do it. However, they have a voice. This have nothing to with taken orders. It has everything to with my the lives of my fellow brother and sister Marines who are figting in dieing for a Democracy

            Two.. You need to read better. My comment was "I am sure all the cops at the LAPD are college gradudates but Randy King still got a good asswhipping. Come on, cops in any city are liability to do anything with or without a bachelors degree". This comment is concerning the previous response implying that college education reduces a cops chance for overstepping their boadens. No race card was overimplyed. In fact, it is diffused by my last comment.

            Three.. Before you comment on what I believe and have suffered for my country. Please show me your DD214.

            Disclaimer: Comments made by a gay black male. The minority of the minority.

    • Posted By: Rick James @ 09/04/2008 2:49:01 PM

      What are you smoking? I never saw an Anarchist giving a cop a flower, and then getting pepper sprayed in the face! Have another puff!

      • Posted By: TheVigil @ 09/04/2008 3:09:09 PM

        Fu.ck you and your accusations and your dishonesty. I suspect you have no personal experience with the events mrzoid's describing.

  • Posted By: potus2008 @ 09/14/2008 6:56:23 PM

    Obviously the state routinely uses the term "terrorists" for anyone they want to repress. regardless of anyone's political ideology citizens in this country still have some rights that many a court will recognize. I would not be surprised should there be law suits against the city ( the RNC has already agreed it will pay the settlements likely to come) for many acts by police, and FBI during the RNC. You think they would think they would learn from NYCviolating peoples rights in this country can cost the city millions of dollars, a pretty stupid and wasteful use of tax payer money.

  • Posted By: satronica @ 09/14/2008 3:49:15 PM

    You wouldn't know what an Anarchist was if it smacked you up side the head.

  • Posted By: satronica @ 09/14/2008 3:47:39 PM

    oh my god - give me a break. yeah the FASCIST militarized police force actively is oppressing college students who actually give a crap about america.

    THIS ARTICLE IS BULLSHIT. YOU ARE THE TERRORIST.

  • Posted By: csiakwan @ 09/04/2008 2:21:59 PM

    Oh are you talking about the independent and secessionist party in Alaska? Those trying to join Russia? The party whose membership includes Mr. Palin? or is he now converted and wants to remain a US citizen so that he will get free housing(Welfare housing) for himself and his children? How are we going to pay for the health insurance of 7 people if the Palin's gets to the White House?

    • Posted By: emal7717 @ 09/11/2008 10:45:59 AM

      The party does not wantr to join Russia, and talk of that is Idiocy. They are tired of sending money to washington only to be ignored. Exactly like the U.P of Michigan gets forgotten when it comes to budget but never forgotten come Tax Day

  • Posted By: chillfour@yahoo.com @ 09/10/2008 10:55:34 PM

    I think the republicans and the police were making a lot more out of this than there was. Protesting at the republican convention and republican events seems to be a regular and worthy thing to do. We have the most corrupt president and republican government and protesting is legal.

  • Posted By: McCain in '08 @ 09/05/2008 10:27:29 AM

    What is it about Democrats, who seem to think that using violence is the only way to make your point? The convention in 1968 comes to mind immediately. I also remember that when President Bush was inaugurated, he had to travel in a closed vehicle because of threats of violence from some Democrats. Now this. Republicans have a much more civilized and less destructive way to make their point. It's called voting.

    • Posted By: mfenwick @ 09/05/2008 10:14:47 PM

      You knucklehead! They were not Democrats; they were anarchists! Anarchists have nothing in common with Democrats. They view Democrats and Republicans as one in the same. They all share the same beliefs, they just have different methods of accomplishing their goals. You're a fool to believe voting works. Show me an example of an election that has ever solved anything. Violence IS the answer. Our founding fathers were themselves terrorists. Throwing tea into Boston harbor, tarring and feathering British soldiers, sending out threats to ships that dared to dock in Boston, etc. are all acts of terrorism. The Sons of Liberty, an American terrorist group, threatened to assassinate King George V. Samuel Adams was the head of this organization. He, along with Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Paine were smugglers as well. Everything from tobacco and whiskey to arms were smuggled into the colonies to avoid taxes. I have said before and will say again: As long as the Democrats and Republicans run this country nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever get any better.

      • Posted By: Galasso @ 09/05/2008 10:43:44 PM

        How many foreign countries have you lived besides the US? I wish you had been with me in Somalia to see the aftermath of 5 women buried up to their heads and stoned to death because they were "suspected" of prostitution. Or the decapitations in Iraq. You would have loved the body bags lined up in Vietnam after the VC slaughtered entire families or the carnage in Lebanon when the Syrians rulled the roost. In a world of extraordinary psychotic cruelty that rivals the middle ages - we Americans live a very good life. I would really like to know what you're definition of "better" is - relatively speaking.

        • Posted By: mfenwick @ 09/06/2008 2:58:07 PM

          Your comments have nothing to do with my response. You are attacking me for attacking a system which couldn't care less whether we lived or died. It would be the same as if you prevented a little old lady from defending herself against a purse-snatcher and then taking up for the purse-snatcher knowing full well that he is going to commit the same crime elsewhere. I noticed that you did not disagree with any of my comments; you just criticized me for criticizing the two-party system and putting into words what we all know is true. I do not compare America with other countries; I compare America with what it claims to be and should be. You mentioned all the violence in Somalia, Vietnam, Lebanon, and Syria, much of which can be blamed on America's meddling. If violence is not the answer, then what is? Be specific and don't try to be religious. Religion, mostly Christianity, Islam and Judaism are the main causes of war. Also, don't pull the God-Country-Mom-And-Apple-Pie routine that so many responders like to try.

          • Posted By: Galasso @ 09/06/2008 6:29:20 PM

            Vince Lombardi said there three kinds of people - the kind who make things happen - the kind who watch things happen and the kind who do not know what's happening. I have served in all of those aforementioned places and seen all of those things close up. The people - like me - who consider it a grave and awesome responsibility to represent the country with lethal force - when necessary - try to do the most honorable thing we can under the circumstances when we go in harm's way. It gets more complicated as one gets older because the longer you stay, the more people you jave to be responsible for. I have to assume that you have never seen or experienced anything like this - you must just read a lot and form your opinion by watching things happen. My point to you is that you have no idea just how good you have it in this country. And - I would like to hear your solution as to what should replace voting if it doesn't work. And tell me who you think should run the country if not the Democrats or the Republicans.

            • Posted By: mfenwick @ 09/07/2008 9:39:46 PM

              States' rights must be restored as per our Constitution. If the feds refuse, states must secede from the Union and be willing to back it up with violence if necessary. The income tax must be abolished to bring down the federal government. Politicians who refuse to do what they say they will do must be annihilated. Only when all our taxes and politicians are reduced to the local level will The Vote have any effect. As it stands now, it has no effect. I am a libertarian and belong to the Libertarian Party. Most libertarians are not quite as radical as I am but I see no other way out of our predictament. Go to www.lp.org for more information. My personal belief regarding Democrats and Republicans is that all of them at all levels of government need to be wiped off the map and never be allowed to exist ever again.

              • Posted By: FATE24 @ 09/10/2008 9:48:31 PM

                Well mfenwick...If the idiocy you have put forth here is not cause for you to be on the FBI"s watch list, they are not doing their job. I am pro-life but someone should have made an exception in your case,,,,like your mother.

                • Posted By: mfenwick @ 09/10/2008 10:02:34 PM

                  Perhaps it is idiocy, but you did not disagree with it. You are simply mad at what I wrote. You know I'm right; admit it. What are your solutions? The Democrats and Republicans have failed and it is high time for them to get out of Dodge or else.

      • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 09/07/2008 7:50:08 PM

        Anarchists vs Democrats; from where I am sitting they are both one and the same.

  • Posted By: stpaulite @ 09/08/2008 10:22:10 PM

    Terror watch. You must be kidding. I live and work in St Paul and I tell you it was the over blown police that caused the terror. Funny about the cocktails coming from guys from Michigan, because in the Star Tribune they were from Texas. Has anyone actually been charged yet? Yes folks this is what Democracy looks like. And one more thing, lets talk about looking silly. Texas delagated in red, white and star shirts all matching. Look what 50 million can buy you and all to protect what 20,000 people.

    • Posted By: taekwondodad @ 09/10/2008 9:34:39 AM

      Let me understand this, a group of jerks came to town including stpalute. They intended to put some real hurt on some innocent people. The police intercepted these jerks. The FBI helped with the data on who they are.They were arrested. They are now complaining that the whole world sucks. Nothing really happened in the convention except a Code Pink women took a slow dance with a security personnel. WOW, you anarchist are just amazing!!! You know, the next time me and my friends hear about you doing something like this your all going to be wearing pink dresses. I seriously don't like your face, you peace of garbage. We will be watching for you now!

    • Posted By: taekwondodad @ 09/10/2008 9:26:00 AM

      Lets see. People in a city having a convention. Some jerks come in and want to do serious harm to those people. The police disable these jerks, and find that they really want to hurt innocent people, with volitile weapons. The FBI was watching this group of jerks, informed the police, few people got hurt. Wow! Let me tell you something you jerks, the next time you pull something off like this, we the people will not use the police, we are comming after you.

  • Posted By: haynessemperfi @ 09/09/2008 6:01:19 PM

    This entire article is a complete wash. It adds nothing to producing productive and real political discourse in this election.

    I have no clue why this article was published while a civil gathering of over 4000 at Orchestra Hall at the Nader/Gonzalez ???Open the Debate??? Super Rally was ignored. The event was attended by Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader, Vice-Presidential Candidate Matt Gonzalez, Former Governor Jess Ventura, Cindy Sheehan, Justin Jeffre, Nellie McKay, Ike Reilly, and via video Bob Barr and Cynthia McKinney.

    Ralph Nader is on the ballot in 45 states. Ralph Nader is polling at 5-6 percent nationally, and a new Time/CNN poll shows Nader with 8 percent in New Mexico, 7 percent in Colorado, 7 percent and Pennsylvania, and 6 percent in Nevada ??? all key battleground states. Furthermore, Bob Barr is doing extremely well in Georgia ??? another key battleground state.

    Third party candidates have done a tremendous job this election cycle. Few understand just on much has been achieved especially when you consider who much time, money and resources are required for third party and independent candidates to get on the ballot. In a country that calls itself a Democracy, this is shameful to say the less.

    Newsweek lackluster representation of third party candidates is embarrassing, antidemocratic, anti-intellectual, retrograde and transparent. Clearly the editorial staff is worried that THEIR CANDIDATE OBAMA can???t win in a 3, 4 or 5 way race. Ironically, the same editors and reporters trash foreign news press then they ignore ???revival??? political parties in the Middle East, Latin America, etc. This is hypocritical and tasteless.

    As a supposed democracy it is time that we move away from the 2 party systems to balance the power of corporations and the media. When you considered the topics of previously debates. Whether a candidate looked at his watch, wore a lapel pin and something about a lockbox. Is it any wonder that this nation has not solved a major social problem in the last 40 years?

    If you are someone who supports a living wage, free Medicare, fuel alternatives, and an end to corporate corruption. Whether you are the tired of both Demos and Republicans or ???the sad irredentist??? as Jeremy McCarter states in ???Hillary Gave Best Speech she could???. Please look at third party candidates. Your vote will count by not voting for the corporate and news media supporter candidates.

    www.votenader.org

  • Posted By: ICYEYES800 @ 09/04/2008 2:26:13 PM

    This is a fairly portrail of what makes the Democrats so terrilby DIFFERENT than REPUBLICANS....We are civilized enough to allow THEM to express different opinions than ours and be respectful of the differences, without an all out RIOT....It's called diplomacy...It is the primary reason that most people who were one dems....converted to the real part of WE, the PEOPLE!!!!! REPUBLICANS are civilized....DEMOCRATS are just IDIOTS!!!!

    • Posted By: careerdaytrader @ 09/04/2008 2:43:24 PM

      Yes you got that right DEMOCRATS are idiots. That's why they think Obama is the most qualified guy in their party! Yeah I agree Sarah Palin isn't too qualified either but if we're going to do ON THE JOB TRAINING I'd rather it was the VP than PRESIDENT who's getting the training!

      • Posted By: unionrights@yahoo.com @ 09/09/2008 6:50:37 AM

        Its all on the job training.....unless they have a second term......or if they have a commander-n-chief training camp somewhere

      • Posted By: raddave @ 09/04/2008 4:06:06 PM

        And what about the repugnants poor choice in John S. McCain?

      • Posted By: TheVigil @ 09/04/2008 3:10:16 PM

        Still providing parasite software to career day traders, careerdaytrader?

        I might have to change my mind about the Democrats repossessing your profits and your *** if Obama wins the election in the fall.

    • Posted By: millerm84 @ 09/04/2008 3:21:30 PM

      Yeah down with civil disorder! Who needs crap like this and the Boston Tea party! if you can't behave you don't have a right to protest!

      you people make me laugh, preaching the second amendment then bashing people for acting on it. The whole reason for being able to bear arms is to violently up hold the government accountable, see Tomas Jefferson if you don't believe me.

      I don't condone violence but the republican hypocrisy can benefit my silence for only so long.

      • Posted By: Incydius @ 09/08/2008 5:41:03 AM

        Hopefully more people wil take this to heart as long as the abuses continue to go on.

      • Posted By: Incydius @ 09/08/2008 5:40:02 AM

        Hopefully more and more people will take this to heart the longer the abuse goes on.

    • Posted By: RO in Reno @ 09/07/2008 7:24:27 PM

      Hate to tell you this, but the Republican Party now has only 25% of the registered voters, the defections have been dramatic, and After Bush most sane people would be ashamed to let anyone know they were a Republican. Judging from your post you are not exactly sane, have you given thought to getting help?
      The number of Registered Democrats is at an all time high.
      The fact is there are not enough Republicans to elect McCain/Palin.

    • Posted By: raddave @ 09/04/2008 4:05:12 PM

      These are not democrats, they are anarchists, you know the people who oppose government? Kinda sounds like the Repugnants.

    • Posted By: TheVigil @ 09/04/2008 3:05:27 PM

      Oh, go mistreat a minority or something.

      I've seen "Republican" protestors that threatened an innocent 16-year-old girl with pepper spray (and me) for peacefully disagreeing with them, who also lied about me and others in the middle of the street in front of the cops to try to get us arrested as violent criminals. They later claimed on the Internet that it was a "great rally" and are known for heading to towns they don't live in to violently disrupt day labor sites and stage threatening protests against a sanctuary church that's trying to take care of a 2-year-old baby.

      There are violent near-criminals on both sides. And there are people working for peace on both sides. All your accusations do is prove that you don't give anyone the benefit of the doubt or understand "innocent until proven guilty". It pisses me off.

  • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 09/08/2008 8:47:23 PM

    Hey, all you frothing at the mouth left-wingers; did you see the polls today? McCain is up by as much as 10 points! I guess all of your breathless ranting and raving are NOT shared by most Americans.

    The Palin bounce is real...and 180 degrees from what happened after Biden (yawn) was announced.

    It's going to be a fun Sept and Oct! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

    • Posted By: mfenwick @ 09/08/2008 9:52:36 PM

      You, my dear jimbo3800, will be the biggest loser if and when McCain takes office. I will wager a bet with you for any amount you choose that no matter who gets in office, McCain or Obama, nothing in this country or in your state will ever get any better. Are you up to it? I mean, since you are such a big Republican, how about showing us all your confidence in the Party? What will it take, jimbo3800, to get you to abandon your political party and to admit that you've been following a false prophet? If you are like most dumbass American voters I would suspect not even a gun at your head would persuade you to recant.

    • Posted By: observer101 @ 09/08/2008 9:44:29 PM

      Oh the left wingers are well aware of the "bounce"...They are grasping at straws to find SOMETHING, ANYTHING negative...McCains property count and Palins bridge to nowhere and trooper firings is all they can come up with...Now they will inadvertantly drag a 17 y/o into the mix and that will be the Obama camps biggest blunder in the history of campaigns if thats the tactic they are going to use next...They are pretty desprite so who knows....As they can tell their current tactics are not working...McCain/Palin 08'

  • Posted By: RO in Reno @ 09/07/2008 7:31:04 PM

    It's actually a riot that Limbaugh was trying to promote riots at the Democratic convention, and what makes it even funnier Dobson actually prayed for catastrophic weather to disrupt the evil doer???s convention, guess he failed to tell God he meant the one in Denver.

    But given the number of protesters at least the GOP can claim to have drawn as many people as Obama did.
    They just have to neglect to mention half were protesters.

  • Posted By: dmerrin10000 @ 09/06/2008 1:56:55 PM

    Nearly everything I've read in these comments reminds me of the riots-- the comments posted here are as inarticulate, as impotent, and as embarrassing as are the actions of the ineffectual groups that gather at events like these and pretend to do something.

  • Posted By: ICYEYES800 @ 09/06/2008 2:06:53 AM

    WHERE WERE THESE ANARCHIST AT WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WAS OCCURING???
    I think I have a pretty LOGIC guess.......they were DELEGATES at the convention and couldn't do both jobs at once....to me the word anarchist and democrat is synonymous......JUST KOOKS.....

  • Posted By: air35 @ 09/05/2008 10:21:59 PM

    yes but people in kenya were followers of odinga and obama and now many, many are dead

    http://africanpress.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/senator-barack-obama-in-kenya-obama-and-odinga-the-true-story/

    please google barack and odinga and do your homework before voting

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