A-Infos (en) US, ST. PAUL, No RNC, Media, Some Predict Weekend Sweep of RNC Protesters by Police

Protesters in Minnesota think they could end up behind bars before the RNC even 
starts. Some are planning to hit the streets Friday night -- and police are 
keeping a close eye on them. --- Friday night, the group "Critical Mass" will 
once again ride through the streets of Minneapolis. Police are prepared for 
trouble, believing the so-called anarchists will be among the riders. But 
getting arrested tomorrow could also mean missing the main event. --- Last year, 
Critical Mass rode through Minneapolis, and police arrested 19 riders. The 
confrontations were captured on home video. --- Bruce Nestor of the National 
Lawyers Guild believes police could be planning a Friday sweep of protesters and 
suspected anarchists -- putting them behind bars for the long weekend.

"Individaul officers can say, hey this is the way I can keep this person off the 
street for 36 hours," says Nestor.

If someone is arrested and brought to jail Friday, they could be placed on a 
36-hour hold, which doesn't count on weekends or Labor Day -- meaning it could 
be Tuesday or Wednesday before he or she is released. Therefore, missing most of 
the protest action.

At the University of Minnesota Thursday night, organizers of Monday's anti-war 
march are still planning for an expected crowd of 50,000.

Minneapolis and St. Paul Police aren't commenting on operational tactics, but 
they scoff at the notion of a Friday night sweep.

Of the 19 riders arrested last August for felony riot, only five were ever 
charged, and only two were ever convicted, even then on misdemeanor traffic 
offenses.

"A number of cases I'm told heard police telling people go to the RNC and you'll 
get arrested. So I think there's police intimidation going on already," says 
Jess Sundin, of Coalition to End the War.

There will be judges in Hennepin and Ramsey County who will review the cases of 
those arrested over the weekend to see if there's probable cause.

The Critical Mass ride begins Friday in Loring Park around 5 p.m. The group is 
expecting more than 600 riders.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com
---------------------
Copied from infoshop.org
======================
* An antiauthoritarian anticapitalist initiative
_________________________________________
A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
By, For, and About Anarchists
Send news reports to A-infos-en mailing list
A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://ainfos.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/a-infos-en
Archive: http://ainfos.ca/en