OntheWilderSide

Story 1:

Cam Gordon is a Green Party elected official. Gordon is a Minneapolis City Council Member. He was able to join with another City Council Colleague to call for an investigation of RNC police.

The news story about their request for an investigation is at the Twin City Daily Planet: here. It includes the full text of their joint statement.

An excerpt from their statement:

Now that the convention is over, we join others calling for an independent, blue ribbon panel to conduct a thorough investigation into the events, decisions and policies surrounding security issues and the RNC, hold hearings and make recommendations for future policy changes.

The recent reports of law enforcement targeting observers and reporters, engaging in preemptive raids and questionable uses of force show a troubling pattern that is not consistent with our hopes for showing the world how our Cities respect the right to civic debate and are committed to preserving free speech during the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Story 2:

From the St. Paul Green Party comes a powerful statement combining local pride and a demand for accountability from local, elected officials:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2008

Contact:  Rhoda Gilman, Spokesperson, Green Party of the 4th Congressional District

ST. PAUL GREENS DEMAND INVESTIGATION OF EFFORTS TO INTIMIDATE PROTESTERS AND
SUPPRESS CIVIL LIBERTIES AT RNC.

It is with deep sadness that St. Paul Greens have seen our city become an
armed camp during the past week.  The presence of the RNC gave St. Paul an
opportunity to set a shining example of a community where diversity of
opinion and freedom of expression are welcomed and where civil disobedience
is handled firmly but with restraint.  The result would have been trust and
respect for law officers and a long step toward realizing our vision of St.
Paul as one of the world?s greenest cities.

Instead we have seen a virtual army of anonymous, heavily armored and armed
troopers take control of our streets.  We have seen how helpless and
compliant our local authorities are in the face of such a quasi-military
occupation.  And we have experienced a sense of violation as our homes and
meeting places have been invaded on the flimsiest of excuses, our roads and
bridges closed to traffic without warning, and our jails packed with people
who were rounded up brutally and indiscriminately.  Some are angry young
protesters, some are journalists who were seeking to do their jobs, and some
are citizens who simply ventured to ask questions.

We were told it would not be this way.  We feel misled and betrayed.  We ask
that our city council and county commissioners authorize an independent
investigation along the lines suggested in Minneapolis by council  members
Cam Gordon and Gary Schiff.

Filed under: Anti-War, elections, green, Green Party Websites, News, Peace, Political Websites, presidential race, progressive politics, republican, third party, US Politics, war Tagged: | arrests, cam gordon, Minneapolis, Police Abuse, protestors, RNC, St. Paul, third parties