Comments on: Radio Show this Morning on RNC Raids, Arrests and the Police State

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:47:02 +0000

What do you make of the items the police found in homes of the RNC Welcoming Committee, though?

From http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?pageId=73913 :

Fletcher's statement also included a list of items found in the searches, including PVC pipe, chicken wire and duct tape – believed by police to be intended for locking protesters together in human barricades called "sleeping dragons" – five-gallon buckets of urine, throwing knives, flammable liquids, homemade caltrops (devices used to puncture tires, presumably bus tires), bolt cutters, sledgehammers, protective padding, and plastic buckets cut into shields.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:08:27 +0000

Aw, that’s so nice of you! Thanks!!

By: Will Potter

Will Potter — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:33:19 +0000

No problem, Tracy! And for folks reading, if you haven’t checked out Tracy’s blog, please do:
http://www.diggingthroughthedirt.blogspot.com/

By: Tracy

Tracy — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:52:44 +0000

I knew you’d help me out, Will. Thanks!

By: Will Potter

Will Potter — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:50:40 +0000

The first thing I’d say is that WorldNetDaily isn’t a news outlet, it’s a right-wing PR organization. That being said, I’ve seen similar accounts in other sources, and I take it all with more than a few grains of salt. For instance, in my basement I also have PVC pipe, duct tape, flammable liquids, a variety of nails in different sizes, bolt cutters, a sledgehammer, and protective padding. And if the police gathered it all up and put it before TV cameras, it would be a nice media stunt, but at the end of the day it’s still stuff in most people’s basements. Even if all of these things were used for “sleeping dragons” or other forms of non-violent civil disobedience, it’s exactly that: non-violent civil disobedience (not “rioting”). And if there was anything resembling a “shield,” well, given the conduct of the police at the DNC, and previous mass protests like the FTAA and RNC in NY, I would probably want a plastic shield, too.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:37:26 +0000

What do you make of the items the police found in homes of the RNC Welcoming Committee, though?

From http://www.worldnetdaily.com/?pageId=73913 :

Fletcher’s statement also included a list of items found in the searches, including PVC pipe, chicken wire and duct tape – believed by police to be intended for locking protesters together in human barricades called “sleeping dragons” – five-gallon buckets of urine, throwing knives, flammable liquids, homemade caltrops (devices used to puncture tires, presumably bus tires), bolt cutters, sledgehammers, protective padding, and plastic buckets cut into shields.

By: Will Potter

Will Potter — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:37:48 +0000

Thanks Nico. I hadn’t heard that about Minneapolis. The brief time I was there (actually, for a speaking event organized by some of the “RNC 8″ who are facing absurd felony charges now), the town, as a whole, felt very laid back. Even in terms of general police misconduct, though, the events of this week are over the top.

By: Nico

Nico — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:15:39 +0000

I heard you on the show. Some great points. I went to college in Minneapolis – at the University of Minnesota before moving to Portland. At that time some people used to refer to our beloved town (and believe me, we really did love our town for many of its other fine cultural points) as “Many-ass-police”. After hearing the show i logged on to Democracy Now! and saw the video of Amy Goodman’s arrest. Since i know her to be mild-mannered and well-informed of her rights, i am appalled at her treatment. I guess the Twin Cities are still living up to their unflattering moniker.