RNC Student Protest (Sept. 4th)

[6souls]

this just popped up.

We are at 7th and cedar in downtown St. Paul. There are so many police officers it's difficult to count them all...

What we've heard is the Capitol declined to permit a prescheduled concert from continuing on.

'Rage Against the Machine', a political rap metal band, formed in Los Angeles, showed up to perform Tuesday night. After their performance, the crowed of concert goers/protestors planned to march down Cedar to the Xcel Center.

However, 'Rage Against the Machine' was not allowed to get on stage and that's when protestors started to march down Cedar.

Police declared a code 2, high alert.

Officers in riot gear came in from all sides of the intersection at 7th and Cedar to meet the protestors.

We'll wait to see what happens.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_arti...523779&catid=2

the Rage show was $60 a ticket. if I paid that much to see someone perform and find out that they were being blocked from playing, I'd be pretty pissed, too.

[Churchill]

fuck you i wont do what you tell me

[6souls]

pics

http://www.kare11.com/assetpool/imag...withPolice.jpg
http://www.kare11.com/assetpool/imag..._Ragecrowd.jpg
http://www.kare11.com/assetpool/imag..._Ragemarch.jpg

[HAcoreRD]

Protesting over shit they can't change.

hah

[6souls]

this is a developing news story.

Thousands of protestors are making their way to the Xcel.

One of the protestors along the parade route says 'Rage Against the Machine'showed up at the concert and said they had a right to play. When they were denied access to the stage, they went in front of the stage and talked to the concert goers for about 20 minutes...

Shortly after, the entire crowd of several thousand people started their march down Cedar to the Xcel Energy Center.

Police in riot gear could be seen from all directions.

video: http://wm.kare.gannett.edgestreams.n...chine_kare.wmv

User Image
8bit4life wrote:
I was just down there...I wanted to catch some free RATM before I see them tomorrow. Holy cow...I've never been in such a surreal environment ever. I made a wrong turn trying to find my way back to my car and ended up surrounded by 150ish police officers in full-on riot gear. This was an evening that won't soon be forgotten by myself. I heard someone scream that people were getting gassed but I don't know if that's true.
9/2/2008 8:28 PM CDT on kare11.com

[6souls]

As of 7:50pm

4,000 Protesters Try to Break Down RNC Fence After Rage Against the Machine Concert

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A group of about 4,000 protesters are trying to break down the security fences at 5th and 7th, near the northwest entrance to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

The protesters marched toward the RNC from the State Capitol after an impromptu Rage Against the Machine concert.

Rage concert through megaphone

St. Paul police shut down the concert, which didn't stop band members Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello from shouting lyrics to songs like “Bulls on Parade” through a megaphone.

Rage Against The Machine played a free show on the State Capitol lawn as part of the Ripple Effect music festival.

Protesters are also spilling over into Cedar Avenue and 10th.

Protester scales fence along perimeter

Around 7:50 p.m. police reported a protester had climbed over the fenced perimeter around the Xcel Energy Center.

Earlier Tuesday, at least three people were arrested and pepper spray deployed as about 2,000 people rallied in the Poor People's march in St. Paul, blocks from the Republican National Convention.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox...Y&pageId=1.1.1


http://www.kare11.com/assetpool/imag...olicetight.jpg
http://www.kare11.com/assetpool/imag...owdSprayed.jpg
http://www.kare11.com/assetpool/imag...37_Rage825.jpg

[Beckwin]

Chicago shit right here

[6souls]

8:25

10th and Wabasha

The cops numbered this crouwd at 4,000 people...

This was one large march. The group at Mears park marched to the State Capitol where they hooked up with 'Rage Against the Machine" march... They together continued on their march to the Xcel.

They went down Cedar fromt the capitol and were force to hang a right on 7th street by hundreds of police in roit gear and masks.

The protestors marched down 7th near Mickey's Diner and hit a dead end... an 8 foot fence... right across the street is the 'X'...

This is the same place they marched yesterday and they had to turn around in the 'cage' and go back the way they came.

8:40

The vast majority of the people involved are very peacefull people. A lot are disabled, some children, some seniors.. Then there are some who look like they want to cause trouble with masks over their faces.

It's an intersting and dynamic scene.

You have a sence you don't really know what is going to happen.

In this scene, near the end of the line where you have to turn around, people are being rallied by a woman with a blowhorn.

I see this guy in a business suit with his wife clutching her purse trying to pass everyone. He clearly does not belong. So I go try to talk to them.. and I say, what are you doing here. He says that's a good question....

He explains he is with the Michigan Delegation and he's trying to get to the 'X' ...

I say he's in the middle of a protest march and at the end of this road is an 8 foot fence and there is no way out. He says, what do we do? I say come with me.. i'm going to try to get you out of here.

I see anon has made their way over to the NBC site.

Anonymous711 wrote:
See, this is why Anonymous does peaceful party protests. Much less chance of getting gassed. But with Scientologists, I suppose you never know.

http://www.goanonymous.org/

Anonymous1984 wrote:
NO SOUND SYSTEM?
NO LONGCAT?

This wasn't a protest or a demonstration. This was a riot.

[Tyche]

RATM music would never amp anyone up for a political riot, ever. I wouldn't have let them play in front of demonstrators either, and I fucking love RATM. You'd have to be completely fucking oblivious to rage music and 4000 pissed off and/or drunk teens to think that this was a good idea.

[6souls]

Fox 9 news cast currently going on.

- the crowd & the media have been tear gassed.
- anarchists have set off three home-made bombs.
- the crowd is starting is starting to make their way back to the capitol and riot police has amassed @ the capitol (where this all began) waiting for their return.

RATM music would never amp anyone up for a political riot, ever.

not entirely true. video was just shown of Zach telling the crowd "They are afraid of you!" And with bull horns Zach & Tom with the crowd singing along sang songs to pump up the crowd.

[Churchill]

this is awesome

[BRP]

Beautiful

[Tyche]

Fox 9 news cast currently going on.

- the crowd & the media have been tear gassed.
- anarchists have set off three home-made bombs.
- the crowd is starting is starting to make their way back to the capitol and riot police has amassed @ the capitol (where this all began) waiting for their return.



not entirely true. video was just shown of Zach telling the crowd "They are afraid of you!" And with bull horns Zach & Tom with the crowd singing along sang songs to pump up the crowd.

Did you not get the sense of sarcasm from the rest of my post that followed lol?

[wintersquall]

fuck this, heading over there now... black clothing and mask in backpack. i has camera.

[6souls]

Did you not get the sense of sarcasm from the rest of my post that followed lol?

what is funny, though, that they were whisked away by police & personal security after a couple of songs. gotta keep them safe for their big concert tomorrow.

[Tyche]

Why aren't you there with a videocamera 6?

[6souls]

i don't own a video camera >.>;
Also, i like to have as little police interaction as possible. I work better from behind the scenes.

video of Zach speech w/ bulls on parade;
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox...Y&pageId=1.1.1

8:57

So, we get out of the thick of the protest and the delegate I'm trying to free agrees to talks to me on camera...

When the interview is over, I realize we are surrounded by protesters on bikes trying to block us in. I try to get through the bikes and one of the kids says 'psych'...

We eventually get by and I'm leading the Michigan delegate and his wife out when we run into four more delegates... I know they are delegates because they are very well dressed and had a look of uncertainty and quiet desperation about them...

I tell them all (six total) there is no guarantee I'll get you out, but we'll see.

We double back to the corner of Mickey's diner and flag down a cop.. I explain who these six people are and where they need to go. They are asked to show their official RNC badges and the entire group is allowed through the baracade.

At the same time, several journalists rush our group and ask to get out too...

Yes, this all happened if you can believe it.. quite surreal.

basically this is a reporter from NBC telling things as they happen. thats why its all in 1st person.

[Kuya]

Cliffnotes on what's going on because now i don't know what the fuck is happening or why there are protests.

[Beckwin]

Cliffnotes on what's going on because now i don't know what the fuck is happening or why there are protests.

you have to ask why? it's the convention of the party who has one of the most unpopular presidents in history in office, and the party who is fielding a similar candidate this election, and the party largely responsible for a war that's killed over 4,000 American soldiers and over 100,000 iraqis.

[6souls]

Cliffnotes on what's going on because now i don't know what the fuck is happening or why there are protests.

- 1000 people gathered @ the capitol to see Rage Against the Machine and are told by police that Rage is not allowed to perform.
- Zach & Tom from Rage appear to pump up the crowd by telling them the police & government is afraid of them. They proceed to have a giant sing-a-long of bulls on parade.
- Meanwhile a peace protest from a "Poor people" group consisting of 3000 people begins marching from another location.
- RATM crowd begins to march towards Xcel energy center.
- Two groups merged near the X.
- Protesters get to the X and begin to attempt to tear down the security fence.
- Unsuccessful they turn around and gather near a diner (Mickey's Diner).
- Riot police tell them to leave. After about 10min they begin firing tear gas, smoke grenades & flash-bang grenades @ the crowd & the media.
- Crowd begins to make their way back to the capitol. (This is the latest development)

The top police brass have commented that the home-made bombs were merely rumors to stir up drama.

The protesters that were arrested earlier today had backpacks full of bricks, razor blades, & "unknown" subtances.

Video of a separate group of protest getting pepper sprayed;
http://wm.kare.gannett.edgestreams.n...rayed_kare.wmv