St. Paul, MN – The case of Mick Kelly, whose lawyers filed the first lawsuit resulting from police violence at the 2008 Republican National Convention on his behalf, was resolved in a settlement conference at the U.S. Courthouse here.

In a widely publicized incident, police, standing only feet away, shot Kelly in his belly with a high velocity marking projectile. Kelly was at the demonstration organized by the Anti-War Committee on the fourth day of the RNC, Sept. 4, 2008.

“This is a partial victory,” states Kelly. “Before, during and afterwards, the authorities attempted to quash dissent at the Republican National Convention. The settlement in this case indicates the police did something wrong. We had every right to speak out against U.S. wars at the Republican National Convention.”

Mick Kelly, one of the main organizers of the massive march and rally on the first day of the Republican National Convention, earlier prevailed in a separate lawsuit against the city of Saint Paul after his arrest for leafleting at a June 2008 Obama rally. He is also one of the Twin Cities anti-war and international solidarity activists whose home was raided by the FBI on Sept. 24, 2010.

While the exact dollar amount of the settlement is undisclosed, Kelly states that he intends to make a $5000 donation to the Committee to Stop FBI Repression – the organization that is defending the anti-war activists whose homes were raided on Sept. 24, 2010 and others served with subpoenas by the Chicago U.S. Attorney.

Kelly agreed to settle when the judge overseeing the case ruled against Kelly’s moves to subpoena a police infiltrator in the anti-war movement who went by the name of ‘Karen Sullivan.’ Officer Sullivan joined the Anti-War Committee in the months prior to the RNC and was present at the protest where the shooting took place. “We hoped to find out more about how Karen Sullivan, who helped target activists for FBI raids, was involved in the repression that took place at the RNC,” said Kelly.

#SaintPaulMN #AntiwarMovement #InJusticeSystem #ProtestRNC2008 #StateRepression #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #AntiWarCommittee #lawsuit #MickKelly #KarenSullivan #2008RepublicanNationalConventionRNC #RNC2008 #infiltration

Minneapolis, MN – At a March 4 press conference outside the Federal Building, lawyers who filed the first lawsuit resulting from police violence at the 2008 Republican National Convention announced their plan to move forward with litigation in the case of Mick Kelly. In a widely publicized incident, police, standing only feet away, shot Kelly in his stomach with a high velocity marking projectile at the demonstration organized by the Anti-War Committee on the fourth day of the RNC, September 4, 2008.

Mick Kelly, one of the main organizers of the massive march and rally on the first day of the Republican National Convention, earlier prevailed in a separate lawsuit against the city of St. Paul after his arrest for leafleting at a June 2008 Obama rally. He is also one of the Twin Cities anti-war and international solidarity activists whose home was raided by the FBI on September 24, 2010.

Law enforcement agencies failed to reveal the presence of an undercover infiltrator during the discovery process of Kelly’s 2008 RNC lawsuit. The existence of an undercover law enforcement officer who was active for two years in RNC protest organizations was first revealed in the course of communications between lawyers representing activists whose homes were raided by the FBI September 24, 2010 and Chicago Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Fox. The infiltrator, who went by the name “Karen Sullivan,” remained active in the Twin Cites peace movement until the September 24 raids, when she vanished.

Lawyers will ask the judge presiding over the case to reopen the discovery process and will move to subpoena “Karen Sullivan.”

The lawsuit is being pursued by attorneys Ted Dooley and Peter Nickitas, members of the National Lawyers Guild. Ted Dooley was one of the speakers at the press conference.

Dooley states, “By law, we should have been given all information about this ‘Sullivan’ character. She was present, and planning, at meetings prior to the RNC protests. And she was near at hand when Mick Kelly was shot at the September 4 anti-war demonstration. Kelly has an absolute right to discover what she knew, and when she knew it!”

Jess Sundin, one of the main organizers of the protest at the RNC and a leader of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee states, “There is a pattern of repression against anti war activists before, during and after the Republican National Convention. They sent in police agents to spy and used violence on protestors at the RNC. To top it off, they continued their spying and raided our homes and office on September 24, 2010. Many of us who organized the march at the RNC have received summons to appear in front of a Chicago Grand Jury. This is wrong and we are pushing back.”

#MinneapolisMN #InJusticeSystem #ProtestRNC2008 #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #FBI #September24FBIRaids #KarenSullivan

Josh Sykes, a spokesperson for Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) Asheville, outlined the plans for the march.

“We will bring together thousands of people to oppose the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq,” says Sykes. “We will march to the site of the convention with a clear message: It is time to end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, and to bring the troops home now. We demand money for education, not occupation.”

Plans for a massive demonstration at the DNC are getting backing from around the country. Meredith Aby, a lead organizer of the massive protests that took place at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota, states, “We will charter buses from around the country to travel to Charlotte to protest the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq. We in the peace movement insist that politicians who support these wars are held accountable and we will travel from every point in the country to make that point.”

Demonstrators at the DNC will be raising the slogans, “U.S. out of Afghanistan and Iraq – now!” “Foreclose the war, not people’s homes,” “Bail out the people, not the banks and corporations!” and “Jobs or income now!”

Jeremy Miller, of Asheville SDS stated, “The wars and occupations need to come to an end. We are getting a great response from student activists around the country who want to come here and protest the war.”

#CharlotteNC #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #ProtestRNC2008 #SDS #DemocraticNationalConvention #DNC

Minneapolis, MN – Twenty protesters picketed outside the Twins game on July 18 to protest the proposal for Minneapolis hosting the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC). The DNC site selection committee was rumored to be inside and thousands of Minnesotans saw signs like “We say NO WAR Party” as they went into the stadium. Minneapolis is one of four cities in running to host the convention. The protest was organized by No DNC, a local coalition.

Two years ago St. Paul, Minnesota hosted the Republican National Convention. There were large anti-war protests every day of the convention. The police conduct during the convention was outrageous and the city is still in litigation for mass arrests and police brutality. The Twin Cities activist community will organize massive portests if Minneapolis hosts the DNC.

Dave Bicking explained to the crowd, “There are special reasons why we oppose this convention, because of the very policies that will be celebrated as they celebrate they reselect Obama for president. These are policies of war, of bank failures, I don’t need to go on…They [the Minneapolis city council]will be actively helping the security needed to repress freedom of speech in this city while hosting some of the worst war criminals in this country – people who are responsible for making the plans that are killing people around this world. We need to let the site selection committee know that there will be resistance, that there is resistance which is forming already and there will be continued resistance if they want to come and bring all their war policies to Minneapolis.”

Bicking is an anti-war and environmental activist and father to Monica Bicking, one of the RNC 8. She is still facing felony charges for “conspiracy” from 2008. Bicking is concerned there will be more police repression and trumped up charges if Minneapolis hosts the DNC.

Meredith Aby, an activist with the Anti-War Committee who helped organize protest on days one and four of the RNC in 2008 explained what will happen if Minneapolis hosts the convention, “The Afghanistan war is the Democrat’s war. They chose to escalate it. They chose to put the lives of millions of Afghans and tens of thousands of Americans at risk. They chose to stand by as video after video was released of massacre after massacre of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have blood on their hands and they can’t expect to come to our town, an anti-war town like Minneapolis, and get to party for four days without us telling them that this is criminal and immoral.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #ProtestRNC2008 #RepublicanNationalConvention #RNC8 #DemocraticNationalConvention #DNC #DNC2012 #NoDNC

The Republicans are desperate to turn around their decline, after losing big in the November 2006 congressional elections. More recently they lost three special elections, one each in Mississippi and Louisiana as well as the seat held by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert of Illinois. The American people are frustrated by the Iraq war, worried about the economy and angry about corruption. The writing is on the wall. It may be in misspelled English, and it may be on the wall of a destroyed house in Iraq, but it is clear that the U.S. occupation is going down and taking the Republicans with it.

So up steps John McCain to receive the Republican crown. McCain is the war and occupation candidate. He is determined to carry forward the Bush agenda and is dedicated to the occupation in Iraq for “maybe 100 years.” “That would be fine with me,” McCain said at a January 2008 campaign stop. More recently McCain changed his tune with a plan to get troops home by 2013 – just in time for the next presidential election. We ask, “Who is he trying to fool?” McCain is more of the same – more war, repression, inequality and tax cuts for the rich. The same tired, worn out politics. Besides, have you seen this man when he gets angry?

On Nov. 4, 2008 we are calling for a vote against McCain. The stage is set to vote out the Republicans and to reject their reactionary agenda of war, immigrant bashing, rolling back the rights of women, racist inequality, discrimination against gays and lesbians and poverty. A vote against McCain will create better conditions for working class and oppressed people to make change in our society. Most importantly, we are calling for a vote against McCain because it will be seen as a referendum on the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Four years, let alone 100 years, is too long to wait.

Barack Obama is on track to be the candidate of the Democratic Party, the other party of big business. This is despite Hillary Clinton’s racist demonization campaign of Obama and his supporters – the distorted attacks on Reverend Wright and the ideas of Black liberation theology, ‘voter registration’ campaigns designed to confuse Black voters and turn them away from the polls and Hillary’s racist appeals to “hard working Americans, white Americans.”

While Hillary Clinton has sunk to her lowest, Barack Obama has risen to answer the attacks and prompted uncomfortable discussions at coffee shops, lunch counters and dinner tables across the country. The United States was built on national oppression: the seizure of land from Native Americans, the slave labor of Africans, the exploitation of immigrants from Asia and Latin America. The struggle against racism and for equality are not just struggles of the past, they continue today, as seen in the fight for immigrant rights, justice for Katrina survivors and against the harassment of Arab Americans and American Muslims.

The facts are plain; Obama parts ways, to a degree, with Clinton on the Iraq War, free trade agreements and racism. He has a message of hope with wide appeal. However, Obama operates well within the confines of the Democrats and their big business backers. That said, his election will create a better political climate for the anti-war, immigrant rights, labor and national movements. And no matter who is in the White House, it is important for progressives to stay active and to fight for an agenda that places the peoples needs first.

Say no to war, racism, discrimination and reaction! Vote against McCain!

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #CapitalismAndEconomy #ProtestRNC2008 #Editorials #2008Election #BarackObama #Elections

Chicago, IL – Members of Teamsters Local 743 are preparing to join the massive national march on Sept. 1 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to protest at the Republican National Convention. They see this march as part of the effort to defeat the Republicans this fall. This march will be the first time in 45 years that Local 743 is joining a national mobilization.

“There are a number of issues important to us in this year’s presidential election,” said Local 743 Vice President Larry Davis. He listed five in particular:

Employee Free Choice Act

This is a bill that would, among other things, stop employers from using attacks against pro-union workers to keep unions out. “All workers should have the right to join a union,” explained Davis.

Health Care for Everyone

“The United States is a very rich country and everyone in America should have health care.”

Fair Trade

“Globalization has pitted workers in the United States against workers in third world countries. Rather then drive down the standard of living of American workers, we should have trade policies that will bring up the standard of living in third world countries, as well as in America.”

Full Equality for Everyone

“All workers in America should be treated fairly regardless to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or where they were born. We believe in affirmative action. The next president needs to support affirmative action as well as enact an affirmative action program.”

End the War

“The human cost and the cost to America’s economy are far too great,” Davis concluded.

In 1963, the local was one of the unions that dared to stand for civil rights. They joined the March on Washington on Aug. 28 that year, where Martin Luther King gave his I Have a Dream speech. Then in 1966 and 1967, they were among very few unions that supported King and the civil rights movement in challenging racism in the city of Chicago.

In the later years, the local became a corrupt organization in which all workers – Black, Latino and white – were sold out to employers. But in 2007, the workers voted out the criminals that ran the union for many years. Now the union is reclaiming the proud tradition of marching with the movement for peace, justice and equality.

#ChicagoIL #News #ProtestRNC2008 #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #Teamsters #EFCA #TeamstersLocal743 #LarryDavis #MarchOnWashington

The material may give readers some insights into how government organized to suppress dissent at and what they are saying to each other. The material is marked “For official use only,” meaning it was not intended for public distribution.

#StPaulMN #Commentary #ProtestRNC2008 #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #PoliceBrutality

St. Paul, MN – A lawsuit resulting from a police home invasion before the Republican National Convention was announced here at a press conference in front of City Hall, Oct. 10. Notice was served on the city of Saint Paul that lawyers representing Mike Whalen will seek $250,000 in damages.

Whalen’s duplex on Iglehart Avenue was cordoned off by Saint Paul police working with the FBI and Homeland Security. Whalen, along with his tenants and guests were held at gunpoint for several hours. They were not allowed to leave and no one allowed to enter.

It has not been disclosed what prompted the raid. An FBI agent requested entry to Whalen’s home an hour prior to the raid. When denied entry, he apparently called the Saint Paul authorities who sent two dozen or so officers into the streets, alleys and entrances in and round Whalen’s home.

When these officers were told they could not enter without a warrant, they held the premises under armed guard while police tried to create a legitimate reason for the home invasion. After an hour or so, Officer Langfellow swore that Mr. Whalen had supported Irish Independence some 20 years ago, had co-owned a bookstore for a year with Sarah Jane Olson (also 20 years ago), had recently failed to put his address numbers on one half of the duplex and had received heavy boxes by U.S. Mail.

The sworn affidavit, supporting the request for a search warrant, also contained a straight-out falsehood about Whalen’s activities that day. A judge of the District Court found all this sufficient to issue the warrant – for the wrong address.

It might be noted that Whalen’s guests included journalists who are part of the growing people’s independent press movement, which documents and uses the web to publish reports of police abuse around the U.S. Some of these folks were raided again elsewhere and some were arrested as they documented the new face of Saint Paul, formerly known as ‘the most livable city in America.’

Mike Whalen is represented by attorneys Ted Dooley and Peter Nickitas, both members of the National Lawyers Guild.

#StPaulMN #News #ProtestRNC2008 #RepublicanNationalConvention2008

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Twin Cites-based Anti-War Committee for an October 13 call-in day to demand that St. Paul officials drop the charges against RNC protesters.

Call In Day on Monday, October 13th: Hold Police Accountable for Brutality and Unlawful Arrests!

818 people were arrested during the RNC protests. Please call these officials to demand that all charges be dropped! Please forward this email to others to spread the word and print off the flyer and distribute it to others! This call-in day is organized by the Anti-War Committee (612.379.3899, info@antiwarcommittee.org, antiwarcommittee.org).

Call Mayor Coleman at 651.266.8510

Mayor Chris Coleman misled the public and allowed St. Paul to become a militarized police state during the RNC. Riot police lined the streets of the permitted march on Sept 1. On Sept 4, the city-sponsored “public viewing area” across from the Xcel Center was closed to the public. Throughout the week, protesters were attacked with pepper spray, tear gas, concussion grenades, rubber bullets and police batons. Coleman called the actions of police “nothing short of heroic.” Call Mayor Coleman to demand that police be held accountable for their brutality at the RNC and that all charges against protesters be dropped!

Call Ramsey County Attorney Gaertner at 651.266.3222

Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner is responsible for prosecuting everyone charged with felonies at the RNC including 8 people who are facing over 7 years in prison on trumped up charges of terrorism. Gaertner, who's running for governor in 2010, is prosecuting the RNC 8 strictly for their political beliefs and affiliations. Call her to demand that all charges be dropped now!

Call City Attorney Choi at 651.266.8710

St. Paul City Attorney John Choi is in charge of prosecuting all RNC-related misdemeanors. He has referred to RNC protesters as outsiders who wanted to “create mayhem.” On Sept 4th, nearly 400 people were arrested for unlawful assembly after riot police blocked every route to the Xcel Center. The vast majority were Twin Cities residents who were protesting the war in Iraq. Call Choi to demand that all charges be dropped now!

#StPaulMN #News #ProtestRNC2008 #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #PoliceBrutality