OntheWilderSide

Highly respected alternative journalist Amy Goodman and two Democracy Now! producers unlawfully arrested at the RNC in Minnesota.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ]

****** Update: The Huffington Post reports that all three Democracy Now! Journalists were released. Story here. *****

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:

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being     unlawfully 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 Sheriff 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 Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and  Nicole Salazar. These calls can be directed to:
the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0) and Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman’s office at 651-266-8535.

[When you call the Ramsey County Jail they only accept questions, so ask if Amy, Nicole & Sharif were released.  When Kimberly called the Jail at 10:30 , they said Sharif was still in custody.  When Kimberly called the jail, they said Amy was released.  But DN! has no updates.  Chris Coleman’s voicemail box was full when we called – ISW]

[Alternative contact options: Fax to the Mayor’s office is (651) 266-8513. An e-mail for Chris Rider in the Mayor’s office is: Chris.Rider@ci.stpaul.mn.us / Chris.Rider at ci dot stpaul dot mn dot us  -KW]

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 Amendment 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.

= = = = = = = = =
ABOUT DEMOCRACY NOW!
Democracy Now! airs on over 650 radio and TV stations, including Pacifica, NPR, community, and college radio stations; on public access, PBS, satellite TV stations (DISH network: Free Speech TV ch. 9415 and Link TV ch. 9410; DIRECTV: Link TV ch. 375); on the World Radio Network’s European Service and on the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia service; as a “podcast”, automatically downloaded to your computer or portable audio player; and streams live M-F at 8am EST at www.democracynow.org
= = = = = = = = =
Now real-time CLOSED CAPTIONED on TV!  You can also view/listen/read all Democracy Now! shows online:
http://www.democracynow.org To bring Democracy Now! to your community, go to:
http://www.democracynow.org/get_involved/bring_to_station
= = = = = = = = =

Filed under: Action Alert!, activism, media, News, Our Favorite Radio Stations, Political Websites, Press Release, US Politics Tagged: | Amy Goodman, Democracy Now, free press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Pacifica Radio, Republican National Convention, RNC, Saint Paul, St. Paul, WBAI