NEWS & LETTERS, October - November 2008
Police attack veterans
Baghdad on the Mississippi, that's the name my friend Retired Colonel Ann Wright coined to describe the aggressive tactics employed by police presence at the Republican National Convention in St Paul, Minn.
While attending the Veterans For Peace Convention before the RNC began, I heard Jeremy Scahill speak about arriving at the airport and Amy Goodman and he learned that a Democracy Now employee was being detained with a group that organized to video police actions. The authorities wanted no incriminating evidence depicting abusive police actions.
My first encounter with St. Paul police was after the march on Labor Day when a group of veterans attempted to walk from the Capitol grounds to Harriet Island where a concert was underway. All pedestrian access through downtown St. Paul was blocked by the police.
After the Poor People's March for Economic Justice, the police began setting off concussion grenades and firing tear gas at peaceful marchers attempting to leave the area. As I observed a police perimeter being enclosed, another Veterans For Peace member and I began moving so as to not get caught up in their net. There were approximately 300 Darth Vader-looking goons forming this perimeter. We retreated to an area deemed safe. Again, there were more grenades and gas. The only street allowing escape had a contingent of police at the first block intersection and as we moved in that direction they began lobbing tear gas canisters at us. This action was absolutely unnecessary as we were dispersing as instructed by the only means available and we were gassed along with a few hundred other marchers. I suppose we were being punished for just being present at the march.
Later that evening a group of friends were lounging at Black Dog Saloon and someone suggested we drive over to the mayor's home in St. Paul and register our complaint. Upon arrival at the mayor's home about a dozen of us were met by ten St. Paul police cars. After a bit of discussion we later filed a formal complaint to the Watch Commander by phone. My last evening in St. Paul was spent outside the Ramsey County jail where a few hundred protesters were being held. I was among a couple hundred support people outside the jail.
--Mike Hearington, Veterans For Peace
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