Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Councilmember calls for investigation in RNC-related arrest
Councilmember calls for investigation in RNC-related arrest
Less than a week before the start of the Republican National Convention, police have made their first convention-related arrest.
Minneapolis Police had their hands full Tuesday with protestors and citizen journalists; a possible sign of what's to come.
Armed with their voices and a video camera, a group fighting for affordable housing held a sit in-at the Minneapolis Housing and Urban Development office.
But when a 5 EYEWITNSES NEWS photographer showed up, a Minneapolis Police officer pushed him back into an elevator.
Shortly after, a demonstrator was arrested.
In a separate incident, police detailed three videographers from the Glass Bead Collective, an organization with a history of documenting police misconduct. They are in the Twin Cities to cover the Republican National Convention.
Videographer Vlad Teichberg said he and two others were stopped early Tuesday morning while walking to where they were staying in northeast Minneapolis.
Teichberg said police violated the group's First Amendment rights by taking items including a video camera, a still camera and a laptop.
"They are confiscating the means for us to do our work," he said.
An incident report classified the incident as Homeland Security issue.
Minneapolis City Council member Cam Gordon, who spearheaded the drive to protect demonstrators, wants an explanation from the police chief and the city attorney.
He said the police actions appear to violate the spirit of a resolution passed unanimously last month, which prohibits seizing cameras except during an arrest or when it captures evidence of a crime.
"We don't want to hide anything and I don't think we want anything to be hidden," said Gordon.
Minneapolis police spokesman Bill Palmer said the incident happened at 1:40 a.m. and that the group was stopped on suspicion that they were trespassing in a nearby railroad yard.
Authorities are concerned transportation could be a target during the Republican National Convention.
The three videographers said they did not trespass.
Less than a week before the start of the Republican National Convention, police have made their first convention-related arrest.
Minneapolis Police had their hands full Tuesday with protestors and citizen journalists; a possible sign of what's to come.
Armed with their voices and a video camera, a group fighting for affordable housing held a sit in-at the Minneapolis Housing and Urban Development office.
But when a 5 EYEWITNSES NEWS photographer showed up, a Minneapolis Police officer pushed him back into an elevator.
Shortly after, a demonstrator was arrested.
In a separate incident, police detailed three videographers from the Glass Bead Collective, an organization with a history of documenting police misconduct. They are in the Twin Cities to cover the Republican National Convention.
Videographer Vlad Teichberg said he and two others were stopped early Tuesday morning while walking to where they were staying in northeast Minneapolis.
Teichberg said police violated the group's First Amendment rights by taking items including a video camera, a still camera and a laptop.
"They are confiscating the means for us to do our work," he said.
An incident report classified the incident as Homeland Security issue.
Minneapolis City Council member Cam Gordon, who spearheaded the drive to protect demonstrators, wants an explanation from the police chief and the city attorney.
He said the police actions appear to violate the spirit of a resolution passed unanimously last month, which prohibits seizing cameras except during an arrest or when it captures evidence of a crime.
"We don't want to hide anything and I don't think we want anything to be hidden," said Gordon.
Minneapolis police spokesman Bill Palmer said the incident happened at 1:40 a.m. and that the group was stopped on suspicion that they were trespassing in a nearby railroad yard.
Authorities are concerned transportation could be a target during the Republican National Convention.
The three videographers said they did not trespass.
Labels: Arrests, M4OL Coverage, March for Our Lives 2008
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