ST. PAUL -- Democracy Now! radio host Amy Goodman and two producers were arrested<http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2008/9/1/amy_goodman_and_two_democracy_now_producers_unlawfully_arrested_at_the_rnc>while covering demonstrations at the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn. *Goodman was released after being held for over three hours,* but is still waiting to hear when Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar would be released.
"I was down on the convention floor interviewing delegates when I heard that two of our producers had been arrested," said Goodman. "I ran down to Jackson and 7th Street, where the police had moved in." Goodman said that when she ran up to find out what was going on, she was also arrested. "They seriously manhandled me and handcuffed my hands behind my back. The top ID [at the convention] is to get on the floor and the Secret Service ripped that off me. I had my Democracy Now! ID too. I was clearly a reporter." Goodman, who was released after being charged with a misdemeanor, said that Salazar had been hurt in the face, while Kouddous had been thrown up against a wall and hurt his elbow. "Nicole told me that as they moved in on three sides, she asked them 'How do I get away from this?' and they jumped on her." Both Kouddous and Salazar could be held for up to 36 hours. "One of the police kept shouting at me 'Shut up, shut up," she said. "It was extremely threatening." On 9/2/08, Afthab Ellath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > *Amy Goodman Arrested* > > http://www.countercurrents.org/goodman020908.htm > > ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in > downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police > violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. Video > of her arrest can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ > > Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers > who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole > Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their > journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican > National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her > colleagues and the freedom of the press. > > Ramsey County Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and > Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently > being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul. > > Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call > the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the > immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be > directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman's office at 651-266-8535 and the > Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0). > > Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this > action by Twin Cities law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of > the press and the First Amenmdent rights of these journalists. > > During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement > officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and > excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action. > > Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in > the United States. She has received journalism's top honors for her > reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The > arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar is a transparent attempt to > intimidate journalists from the nation's leading independent news outlet. > > Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that > airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe. > > Video of Amy Goodman's Arrest: > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
