More than 300
people were arrested for protesting in St. Paul, Minn., at
the Republican National Convention since its start, two of
them younger than 18. As of September 2, 120 of those
individuals were arrested for felonies, while 12 were
arraigned.
"With no
provocation, police have indiscriminately used rubber
bullets, concussion grenades, and chemical irritants
to disperse crowds and incapacitate
protesters," the Coldsnap Legal Collective, an
activist-based legal collective supporting the arrestees,
said in a statement.
Protesters were
arrested during anti\poverty and antiwar rallies. Police
told the Associated Press that splinter groups of protesters
have tried to get past security fencing, harassed
delegates, and thrown bottles.
"Based on the
vagueness of their charges and the program of police
intimidation currently under way, these individuals
understand how they will fare if they don't stick
together," said Rick Kelley of Coldsnap Legal
Collective.
Two unidentified
minors were sentenced to 30 days in an adult jail on
September 2 for refusing to divulge their identity
Marchers and
protesters must be released within 36 hours of being
detained if the courts cannot prove probable cause for their
charges. However, Coldsnap claims medical attention is
being withheld as punishment for refusal to provide
identification. Detainees who refuse to identify
themselves are refused medical prescriptions and charged
with the maximum $2,000 bail bond.
One arrestee with
hemophilia and another with asthma were denied
medication while being detained. An arrestee with a broken
finger is being refused medical care, as is a person
who has been coughing up blood, according to
Coldsnap. (The Advocate)