Confirmed: Democracy Now's Amy Goodman arrested at RNC, now released

I love Democracy Now!, and this is a sad glimpse into the America that people have been carefully crafting with their apathy. I went to protest GW Bush's second inauguration in Washington D.C. People I worked with kept telling me "they hated Bush- but I was going to be arrested" for going to protest. I felt and feel so sad for those people. Wake up!

Why is this not picked for TV??
693 views 92 resoinses and hittin at 95%

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances..."

My friends and fellow countrymen, this statement has been left behind.
Apparently, this is the revision:

"The Bush/Cheney administration shall make laws to integrate specific religions, while prohibiting the alternative beliefs thereof; censoring freedom of speech, manhandling the press; installing martial law against those who peaceably assemble, blocking petition of the Government, and causing untold grievances..."

Is this REALLY what you want for 4 more years?

Politicians from RNC should apologize to Amy and her producers. It doesn't seem like any physical action--holding back the cops, grabbing etc.--was done by her to stop the arrest of her co-workers. she was just vocal and in no way can that be "obstruction of a legal process and interference with a peace officer."

I hope the police department too realizes their mistakes and puts an apology forward, and plus drop their charges. If not they better brace themselves for further demonstrations.

A sad event for the freedom of press.

They are just protecting us from our self's. Can't you guys see?

Can't tell exactly what happened from this video alone. They were telling her to move to the sidewalk (public property), maybe the ground she was on at the time was a privately owned parking lot of some sort? Maybe she'll be charged with trespassing?

Keep recording this stuff RNC guys!!

DEER DANCE

Round, Round,

Circumventing circuses,
Lamenting in protest,
To visible police,
Presence sponsored fear,

Battalions of riot police,
With rubber bullet kisses,
Baton courtesy,
Service with a smile

Beyond the Staples Center you can see America,
With its tired, poor, avenging disgrace,
Peaceful, loving youth against the brutality,
Of plastic existence.

Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around,
Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around.

Round, Round,

A rush of words,
Pleading to disperse,
Upon your naked walls, alive,
A political call,
The fall guy accord,
We can't afford to be neutral on a moving train,

Beyond the Staples Center you can see America,
With its tired, poor, avenging disgrace,
Peaceful, loving youth against the brutality,
Of plastic existence.

Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around,
Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around.

Push them around,
A deer dance, invitation to peace,
War staring you in the face, dressed in black.
With a helmet, fierce,
Trained and appropriate for the malcontents,
For the disproportioned malcontents,
The little boy smiled, it'll all be well,
The little boy smiled it'll all be well,

Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around,
Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around.
Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around,
Push the weak around,
Push the weak around,
Push the weak around,
They like to push the weak around.

~System of a Down

http://www.systemofadown.com/main.html#3

Welcome to the Republic of America
They've been doing this in the ghettos forever
Now they have spread their oppression to mainstream society
Oppression anywhere is oppression everywhere

What the hell happened? She didn't seem to be doing anything dangerous! She's a tiny middle aged lady, unarmed AND wearing press badges!

Why on earth would they arrest someone like that and so roughly handle her?

Scary crap man. Looks like a movie, only it's real. Police State here we come (are.)

Amy Goodman went to St. Paul to get arrested. IF she did not get arrested, would anyone even care that she was there? She went to look for trouble and she found it. The tax-payers are paying for her publicity stunt with their hard earned dollars, shame on her.

Not surprised. Free speach is only legal in America if it isn't of national significance. You can say what you want as long as it doesn't matter.

ARREST MCCAIN!!!

I call bullshit on the conspiracy to attempt to cause a riot.

I remember back in 2004 when Bush came to Medford OR for a republican rally. Some people I knew who were/are republican wore brightly colored shirts that said nice pro Bush things. They were denied entrance because the security thought they might have been liberals who were showing up to stir up the mud. These were people who voted for Bush in 2000, were going to vote for Bush in 2004, and were long time republicans. Its paranoid political horse shit that the republican party has been catering to recently.

As for these people from the Democracy Now, they are journalists. Unless you are taking every single reporters questions at this convention, you don't really have to worry about them muddying the waters. They are just going to report on what occurs, that's all, live with it.

This should be at the top..voted up

If only the cops would think and arrest some of those attending the RNC.

Wow, what a charge. Cops have the unjust power to charge you with whatever they want. Saying "F the police" maybe "187!" is constitutionally protected. But cops have the unjust power to jail you for a few hours, maybe even a day, to satisfy their personal agenda. Then you're released because they don't have shi. on you. After that they suffer no consequences. This needs to change.

I wonder how long these tactics will be tolerated? Or, rather, what can be done about it? I can sit here and run on my hamster wheel all night and it's not going to do any good.
Strange situation.

Probably a good thing in the long run. People need things to rally around. Conspiracy to Riot by one of the most respected journalists in the country? Absurd.

The first amendment was under attack today, we have to respond with equal force. Americans should flood the streets with protest!

WOW!! seems to me they were picked out of a crowd... kinda like how the press was kicked out of the human prison the cops made in denver.... we have nothing to fear but fear itself and they have nothing to fear but the truth!!!!!

wow i cant believe this!

holy shit!

the police officers on duty at the time apparently had nothing better to do?!??

This is oppression and I salute Amy Goodman, who stand for truth.

charged with conspiracy to riot?????

Amazing. Shit. So sad this is in my town!

Are you KIDDING ME? This is insane! Amy Goodman, for crying out loud...bet those fascist cops had no idea who she was. I'm calling tomorrow too...outraged.

Fascist pigs!

Hey, I haven't seen any pictures from inside the RNC yet. Perhaps they want to have their tribute to Adolf Hitler and the ritual sacrifice of a newborn liberal baby before they let anyone in?

"Right on."

Power too the people!

Go Amy Goodman. She reported on the massacre in Butan and she'll report on facist police actions in Minneapolis and America.

Thank God, some people, like Amy Goodman, still know how to speak truth to power and are not afraid to stand up to brutality where ever it occurs.

They told her to back up or she was gonna get arrested. Hope she has fun sleeping on the flat blue mat.

i'm calling first thing tomorrow morning. FREE AMY GOODMAN!

THIS IS HORRIBLE. Republicans are such scum. Did you see this kinda crap at the Democratic National Convention. We have got to rid the nation of these Republicans who are ready to put the nation under Marshal Law. Leave Amy alone, this is really fucked up. Republicans are the most evil human beings in the world.

Martial Law, yes.

This is ridiculous. If they keep treating people like this, it's going to get out of hand. Someone needs to calm this down before someone gets seriously hurt. I can understand wanting to keep the peace, but this is basically Martial Law.

yes she is out apparently and she is tough as nails but I'm still mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!!!

this is outrageous pass on the news and call in to get amy out

Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

That wasn't the most graceful way to be escorted.

How convenient for the truth in journalism to be locked up while they pull off their charade of a convention..I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

Badge of honor for any true journalist...

ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. Video of her arrest can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amenmdent rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.

Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar is a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists from the nation’s leading independent news outlet.

Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

Video of Amy Goodman’s Arrest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ