Tuesday, 9/2/08: An on-going jail vigil supported by Coldsnap continued at the Ramsey County Jail for those arrested in the last few days. The Dakota people reclaimed their sacred space at Coldwater in South Minneapolis, and after a stand-off with police the Dakota were granted a 4-day permit for ceremonies. An outdoor concert at the Capital Building in St. Paul called the Ripple Effect was held, with a second stage on the same grounds hosted by the Sustainable Living Roadshow — concert performers included Dead Prez, Michael Franti, Anti-Flag, and others. A heavily guarded Poor People's March through St. Paul ended with an organizer placing an order for a citizens arrest for George Bush for crimes against humanity under the barricades surrounding the Xcel Center. Following the march, a massive riot police presence at the end of the march attacked those who did not disperse fast enough with tear gas, pepper spray, and concussion grenades.
Videos: 1 | 2 · Photos: 1 · Reports: 1 | 2 | 3

Monday, 9/1/08: Activists are in the streets doing their best to disrupt today's first day of the RNC, largely by blocking RNC delegate's transportation routes to the Xcel Center. Police of all kinds are out in force trying to disrupt the activists by making swift arrests and moving to the next hot spot. Early reports of police use of both pepper spray and tear gas have been called in to local dispatch lines. Macalester students marched from their College to the State Capital to join the large, permitted anti-RNC march which began at noon, from which at least one black bloc breakaway has taken to the streets. By 9pm, local authorities had arrested 284 protesters, of whom 130 were charged with felonies, and the National Guard was reported to be marching through downtown St. Paul. A number of journalists were arrested or detained, including Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, who was arrested for alleged "rioting" and later released.
Videos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 · Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 · Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 · Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Sunday, 8/31/08: Veterans for Peace held a rally at the St. Paul Capital Building before their permitted march. They also led an unpermitted civil disobedience break-away from their own march that ended with several people breaching a police barricade near the Xcel Center, site of the 2008 RNC, and getting arrested. Separately, the IWW attempted to escort a fired then re-instated Starbucks worker to his job at the Mall of America and they were turned back by riot police. Anti-RNC activists continued to meet and plan throughout the day for actions at the now-truncated RNC (ostensibly due to Hurricane Gustav being forecast to hit New Orleans on September 1st).
Video: 1 · Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 · Report: 1

Saturday, 8/30/08: Following the convergence center raid the night before, Ramsey County Sheriffs began raiding a half dozen houses across the Twin Cities in the morning and confiscated more items. Several Welcoming Committee members have been arrested and are being held without bail on various "conspiracy" charges. Undeterred, activists continued to hold meetings on August 30th in public parks and later at the convergence center again to plan actions for September 1st .
Video: 1 · Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 · Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Friday, 8/29/08: Police with guns drawn raided the Welcoming Committee's convergence center south of downtown St. Paul. Approximately 50 people were detained inside while police searched the building and photographed them before they were allowed to leave. Police confiscated laptops, cameras, maps, and other items. The entrance to the convergence center was boarded up, but then re-opened for further activity on Saturday afternoon after intervention by a member of the St. Paul City Council on behalf on the activists.
Reports: 1 | 2

Thursday, 8/28/08: Poor People's Campaign's "Bushville" in St. Paul Raided by Riot Police

Tuesday, 8/26/08: Minneapolis PD Detains Three Indy Journalists; Confiscates Equipment

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RNC Welcoming Committee · Unconventional Action · Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign · Coldsnap Legal Collective

Previous Indybay Coverage of 2008 RNC Protest Planning

Indybay Coverage of 2008 DNC in Denver