Best of the RNC, outside the ‘green zone’ edition (Minnesota Independent)

[struggle4progress]

By MOLLY PRIESMEYER 9/6/08 12:16 PM

... Most ridiculous and unnecessary use of riot cops: At 11th and St. Peter at around 7:30 pm on day 4, people leaving “The Daily Show” and/or trying to get to their cars on the other side of the bridge, the side of St. Paul where police have detained nearly 400 people, are confronted by about 15 riot cops and members of the SWAT team. One riot cop jumps on the concrete barrier and points his gun. Two SWAT team members leap on the hood of cars and aim guns filled with tear gas at the onlookers, despite none of them being involved in the protest. The officers don’t speak, issue an order to disperse, nor explain why the onlookers are being threatened. And when the stranded folks ask them how they can get to their cars or where they should go, the cops remain mute, and instead follow their movements with gun barrels.

Best example of this election bringing out the “youth” vote: On Thursday, outside of the line for “The Daily Show,” a school bus drives by filled with elementary school children screaming “Obama!” and holding notebook pages scrawled with “Obama” out windows ...

Best sing-along: “We all live in a fascist police state” to the tune of “Yellow Submarine,” sung on the John Ireland Bridge as cops arrested hundreds of people ...

Funniest claim from mayors R.T. Rybak and Chris Coleman: The Republican National Convention was a success, because, among other things: “So far, national and international media exposure has produced more than 8 billion media impressions, the equivalent of a $330 million ad campaign.” Yet they fail to mention that the top Google results for “RNC” include stories about riots, clashes, police overzealousness and abuse, and suppression of media.

http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/7743/best-of-the-rnc-outside-the-green-zone-edition

[Bob Dobbs]

1. St. Paul will forever be remembered as the capital of fascist overreaction.

You CAN'T BUY that kind of PR, right, Chris Coleman?