Charges Dropped Against Reporters Arrested During RNC:

“Amy Goodman, host of the syndicated radio and television program Democracy Now!, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing the legal process during the protests. Two producers of the show were also arrested.

Choi said the city would also drop charges against the three of them.

Mike Buckso, executive officer of the Minnesota Newspaper Guild Typographical Union, said the dropped charges were welcome _ but he said elected officials must examine what happened in order to prevent “the needless detention and harassment of journalists” in the future.”

As far as I know, the DNC went off without much in the way of arrests, despite all the hoopla about the cages they built to handle masses of arrests.

And Democracy Now is a blog, but is also a radio show, and everything I’ve heard about it today suggests that two people were trying to film/cover the protests (though violent, they were not involved in the violence, just filming it). And when Goodman stepped in to help the cameraman and producer/explain the situation, she got arrested too. They weren’t being violent themselves, they were observing and filming. It does sound sketchy, the arrests that is.

I wonder why they never try selling themselves as the party of oppression. I think it might actually work on the RWA nuts.

“All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.” http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2008/9/1/update_democracy_now_s_amy_goodman_sharif_abdel_kouddous_and_nicole_salazar_released_after_illegal_arrest_at_rnc

The problem is that the police are arresting anyone. Arrest first, ask questions later or leave it to the courts. While I am certain there are some ‘bloggers’ who are there to practice this ‘civil disobedience’ you speak of, many are legitimate ‘press’ people just trying to get the story and are getting caught up in the arrests. I appreciate you trying to take your blog from local politics to national, but even your title is wrong – it’s the RNC, not the DNC. And it’s not about ‘bloggers’ getting arrested for being like Thoreau. It’s about the media getting arrested along with the protesters.

And as far as their actions being designed to disrupt the GOP’s right to assemble, I just say Please! They are generally designed to bring attention to their causes, not prevent anyone from assembling. Just like when your favorite sports team wins something big, sometimes the crowds just get a bit too enthused and overturn cars and break windows, etc. You just watch the Cub fans burn down Chicago if they win the WS and you’ll see what I mean!