Infiltrators

Amy Goodman of democracy now interviewed the Ramsey County Sheriff today.  The sheriff admitted that he had hired paid informants to infiltrate various RNC protest groups.  According to the Sheriff:

"We followed our Welcoming Committee members to many cities around the country. We consulted with the terrorism task force in those cities. We received information, etc. But as they started arriving, we were able to identify those that were here.

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The ironic thing about this interview is that Amy Goodman herself was arrested at the RNC and pepper sprayed point blank in the face while handcuffed.  This was certainly not the worst police brutality faced by protesters at the RNC.  But it is safe to say that the ramsey county police had a pretty good PR fuck up by arresting her.  You can read the rest of Amy Goodman's interview at democracynow.org.

Terrorism

This admission of consulting with the terrorism task forces is not especially shocking since 8 members of the RNC welcoming committee were charged with rioting in furtherance of terrorism.  From the Twin Cities Indymedia:

"In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 alleged leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee with Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, and Max Spector, face up to 7 1/2 years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge which allows for a 50% increase in the maximum penalty." 

There were an additionally more than 800 arrests at the RNC including more than 20 journalists.  This is truly a frightening turn of events, it is the first practical use of HR-1955, the home grown terrorism bill, which we have written about before.  We can probably expect to see a lot more of this sort of thing in the future.  Where every act of protest or dissent is considered and treated like a terrorist act.  Even the police response in Minneapolis, which was to use tear gas and concussion grenades against unarmed civilians at the RNC.  If this line of thought continues soon the concussion grenades will be the least of our worries as the bullets fly over our heads and we are charged as enemy combatants.  This is a very real threat under the provisions set aside by HR 1955. 

Hack This Zine: A criminal threat?

There were numerous home raids before and during the RNC, at least 5 by some estimates, possibly more.  During the raids everyone in the house was arrested and any equipment was confiscated.  Even hackbloc members had their equipment confiscated (stolen) by the police.  So far, very few of these items have been returned.  The protesters were treated as criminals, not protesters exorcising their first amendment rights.  The Minneapolis Star-Tribune quotes:

"Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher said the St. Paul raid targeted the RNC Welcoming Committee, a group he described as "a criminal enterprise made up of 35 self-described anarchists...intent on committing criminal acts before and during the Republican National Convention."

One of the main things stolen during these police raids were pamphlets fliers and information, including copies of Hack This Zine!  From Twincities.com:

"The seized material included titles such as "Anarchism, What it Really Stands For," "You Can't Blow Up a Social Relationship," "Join the Resistance: Fall in Love," "Hack This Zine" and "An Anarchist Cookbook — Recipes for Disaster." 

I hope they enjoy reading that down at the police station.