Convention protesters cling to free speech rights, more than 300 arrested

idsnews.com ^ | 9/4/2008 | Kristi Oloffson

[Syncro]

Convention protesters cling to free speech rights, more than 300 arrested

| IDS | Date: 9/4/2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Katelyn Peck, a 20-year-old junior from California State University, stood with about 25 other protesters in a sea of pink. Pink dresses and umbrellas, jeweled crowns, sequined cowboy hats and pink banners formed the group’s attire, while one woman in the lead blew a whistle and ordered the march forward as mobs of media and citizens traipsed around them.

The peace group, CODEPINK, danced, sang and marched to declare their distaste for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the vice-presidential candidate who spoke Wednesday evening at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. The group is one of many that came to the convention calling for peace and an end to the war. Many claim their right of free speech is what brings them here, hoping they can convince others of their varying messages.

Protests have led to more than 300 arrests during the convention thus far, said Sgt. William Palmer from the RNC Joint Information Center in St. Paul. Palmer, who said police have been preparing for more than a year for the RNC, said protesters are welcome to come to the convention and exercise their free speech rights, but many go too far.

“This is not about the protesters,” Palmer said. “This is about people who are breaking the law.”

The women of CODEPINK rehearsed several verses of their tune, before marching and singing, “Sarah Palin, we know what she stands for. You’ll save a fetus in the womb, then send them off to war!”

Peck said she felt protesting Palin’s candidacy was part of her freedom of speech and worth traveling from California for the convention. The risk of getting arrested wasn’t really a concern, she said. Many protesters can apply for a permit to be there, but CODEPINK had not.

“If I do, I do,” she said. “I don’t really care.”

Peck shared a sign with Barbara Briggs-Letson, a 74-year-old from Sebastopol, Calif., who sported a pageant-style sash stating “I Miss America.” Briggs-Letson said she didn’t think she was at risk of getting arrested even without the permit to protest, adding that, “My permit is the Constitution of the United States of America.” Briggs-Letson, who said she also traveled to Denver last week for the Democratic National Convention to protest, said she hopes the group’s message is “changing a few minds.”

Earlier in the day, 45-year-old Zach Elliott stood on the sidewalk a few blocks from the Xcel Energy Center in an orange jumpsuit protesting torture with about five others.

The small group, clad in orange jumpsuits with black cloth bags concealing their faces, held a sign reading “This could be your child. Torture is U.S. Policy. Demand it to Stop. Call Congress. Join Us.” Some sat on the sidewalk with their heads down while another stood motionless with his arms outstretch holding a makeshift chain wearing a bright orange “End the War!” T-shirt.

Elliott, who is from Madison, Wis., said his wife and 8-year-old daughter were worried about the risks he was taking by coming to St. Paul, Minn., to protest. Still, he said it was important to exercise his right of free speech. When asked if he felt protesting changed the minds of passers-by, he added, “I’m not sure.”

Elliott didn’t come to St. Paul, Minn., with a group. Instead, he serves as a sort of protesting free rider, asking other groups if he can join them. Elliott said he “came here basically assuming I would at some point be arrested,” but felt it was “important to speak out,” he said. “I think it’s getting incredibly difficult to do so.”

On Monday a different group of protesters wore bandanas over their mouths and formed a makeshift fence, at times blocking traffic while police looked on. The group shouted everything from “This is what democracy looks like!” to “We all live in a racist police state” to the tune of “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles. Police rode on bikes following the protests, surrounding and arresting anyone who got out of hand.

Pete Rhomberg, a junior at the University of Illinois who was part of the protest group on Monday, said he feels protesting the convention is a least “a step in the right direction.”  As for the possibility of getting arrested he says, “It’s a threat I’ll take.”

While protesters will continue to take over downtown areas near the Xcel Energy Center this week, women like Briggs-Letson held that she thought they were changing people’s minds by being out there.

“I have six grandchildren,” she said. “I don’t want to leave them the kind of country I think we have now.”

[Syncro]

This picture is posted with the article:

A protester stands against the police line during their protest Tuesday at the Republican National Convention. Although the protester stood still, once the police came upon him, he was knocked over and then arrested.

Of course he was knocked over and arrested. The rest of them obeyed the police and backed away. This guy is impressing the commie trust-fund chicks, (Or maybe guys judging from his leather studded underwear...)

[SeaWolf]

Its freedom of speech gang, not freedom to riot.

[Syncro]

Codepink did not have a permit.

I saw in another news story a picture of “Barbara Briggs-Letson, a 74-year-old from Sebastopol, Calif., who sported a pageant-style sash stating “I Miss America.”

This old granny is probably one of the "wimmin in black" that stand on street corners in Sebastopol encouraging terrorism.

[Huntress]

That's one of the more asinine headlines I've ever read. Once I saw that it is from a college newspaper, I realized why.

[Marie2]

I guess there is no point in saying this, but the

“you’ll save the fetus in the womb and send him off to war”

makes no sense.

First, we have no draft. So, if the fetus when mature decides to enlist, that’s their decision.

Secondly, would you rather be killed before birth or get to enjoy 18 years of life before volunteering for the military?

Of course you can not reason with a complete ass, dressed in pink or no.

[Syncro]

From workersworld, a commie site:

FOR SECOND WEEK

Police repress convention protests

By LeiLani Dowell
St., Paul, Minn.

Published Sep 3, 2008 11:22 PM

Despite an onslaught of police terror and repression, protesters from across the country used a variety of tactics to march on the Republican National Convention here on Sept. 1. A mass march organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War was followed by youthful street actions to denounce the Republican policies of endless imperialist war and sweeping attacks on workers.

etc

Onslaught of police terror...These little trust-fund babies are the onslaughters of terror.

[Syncro]

Yup, you got that right!

Getting their learnin’ from them liberal professors.

[MNJohnnie]

Your right to free speech ends when it is used to try and violently disrupt other citizens right to peacefully assemble. What the Leftist are trying to do here is the same thing Nazi storm troopers did in the 1930s. They are trying to violently disrupt other's peaceful political assemblies. The Civil Rights movement staged peaceful protests that did nothing to infringe on others rights.

These protesters are consciously attempting to infringe on other people rights. Anyone who compares what these clowns do with the Civil Right movement shows their total ignorance.

[Syncro]

Yes, that is quite true

Thanks for the comments

[fieldmarshaldj]

CODEPUKES.

[Tzimisce]

Wow - the media didn’t care about protestors and their peers getting arrested in Denver last week.

Anyone else notice?

[Vanders9]

Briggs-Letson, who said she also traveled to Denver last week for the Democratic National Convention to protest, said she hopes the group’s message is “changing a few minds.”

Well, she’s certainly changed my mind (though not in the way she hopes, I think).

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.

[SledgeCS]

I have 2 questions for the intelligent persons here.

1. Do these protesters really believe that acting like total idiots will change anyone opinion or outlook on life to match their view?

2. On the Progressive/Socialist web sites (Du & Kos), the posters want to have America return to the greatness it had before. I do not remember learning about the socialist past here in the US, although I do remember the past of supporting yourself/family/community but nothing of the community supporting you. So the question is what past are they referring to?

I welcome all answers to these simple 2 questions as it may help me understand the mindset of the liberal/democrat/progressive/whatever they call themselves today.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

“2. On the Progressive/Socialist web sites (Du & Kos), the posters want to have America return to the greatness it had before. I do not remember learning about the socialist past here in the US, although I do remember the past of supporting yourself/family/community but nothing of the community supporting you. So the question is what past are they referring to?

I welcome all answers to these simple 2 questions as it may help me understand the mindset of the liberal/democrat/progressive/whatever they call themselves today.”

Those who are writing the talking talking points want America to become so weak and so isolationist and people so economically and spiritually and morally deprived that they become open to Communism/Marxism as their religion, as some did during the Great Depression. The want the bad old days of the Soviet Union installed in the United States. Behind it all and most importantly is that they want absolute power, power to dictate, to keep God, family and freedom of thought and freedom of speech out of our lives. Their protests are orchestrated with the talking points of the likes of MoveOn.org. Many of the protestors have no idea how badly they are being used.

[Hardastarboard]

The Civil Rights movement staged peaceful protests that did nothing to infringe on others rights.

Until they were disrupted by RACIST DEMOCRATS trying to shut them up. Lest we forget that minor bit of recent history.

[Jimmy Valentine]

"Do these protesters really believe that acting like total idiots will change anyone opinion"

Most of the guys I knew in the 1960's who got into this really wanted to meet girls and get laid.

[VietVet]

1. If they are like many of the leftists, they actually believe that everyone really agrees with them, the “Truth” of their opinions being self-evident, and if someone says or acts otherwise it is because he has ulterior motives, such as profit or power.

2. The past-utopia they long for is a mythical vision of the 1960’s and early 1970’s, in which “the People” stopped a war and brought down the Eeevul Nixon Dictatorship. That things didn’t really happen that way never enters their excuse for a mind. Any inconvenient fact which contradicts their world view is dismissed as a lie.

VietVet

[mvpel]

The women of CODEPINK rehearsed several verses of their tune, before marching and singing, “Sarah Palin, we know what she stands for. You’ll save a fetus in the womb, then send them off to war!”

Apparently Code Pink doesn't realize that some things are worth fighting for. Found in a mass grave in Iraq:

[<1/1,000,000th%]

No mention of the rioters?

Just another extreme left-wing hit piece.