Hundreds Arrested at RNC Protests

Posted by Lindsay Beyerstein, Firedoglake at 1:40 PM on September 2, 2008.

As of 10:30 pm last night, 284 protesters had been arrested and booked at the Ramsey County Jail in Saint Paul, MN. The most common charges included obstruction, unlawful assembly, conspiracy to riot, and rioting.

The bulk of the arrests took place late yesterday afternoon. The mass arrests started around 3:00pm when officers dragnetted protesters on Shepherd Road in a park near the river. The officers encircled the protesters and detained them for over an hour. About 50 people were let go, according to Gena Berglund of the National Lawyers Guild, which dispatched between 80 and 90 trained legal observers to monitor and videotape yesterday's protests.

Some of the protesters arrested during yesterday's demonstration in St. Paul began to make their way through the court system today. The first hearings began at 8:00am at the Ramsey County Court. Another round of hearings will begin at 1:00pm.

Berglund explained what happens at these hearings. Having spent the night in jail, the prisoners will appear en masse before a judge who will decide whether they can be released, and under what conditions. The prisoners do not have to plead innocent or guilty at this point. Bail will be set for some prisoners. Others will simply be cited and released.

Legal observers expect the prisoners facing the least serious charges will see the judge first. Protesters arrested for misdemeanors can only be held for 36 hours without charge, whereas those charged with felonies can be held for up to 72 hours before they see a judge.

Today, the hearings are effectively closed to the public, according to Berglund. These proceedings are usually public, but the authorities are only letting attorneys into the building at this point.

Amy Goodman and two of her producers for Democracy Now were arrested yesterday near Jackson and 5th Sts. after videotaping a violent arrest. (Video.)

"First her crew was arrested, then Goodman went over to talk to the commanding officer," Berglund explained, "The Secret Service yanked her badge off of her to deny her press protection."

According to the Ramsey County Jail booking database, Goodman was arrested for obstruction. She was released later that day.

Lindsay Beyerstein a New York writer blogging at Majikthise.