UPDATE
Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC.
Goodman Charged with Obstruction; Felony Riot Charges Pending Against Kouddous and Salazar.
All three were violently manhandled by law
enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the
ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other
injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by
baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground
while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as
well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by
police as she was arrested.
On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will
broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action.
These will also be available on: www.democracynow.org
Goodman
was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of
Kouddous and Salazar who 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 Sheriff
Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were
arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been
released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful
arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of
felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction
of a legal process and interference with a “peace officer.”
Democracy
Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at
intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be
immediately and completely dropped.
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 Amendment rights of these journalists.
During the
demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law
enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion
grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists.
Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action,
including a photographer for the Associated Press.
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 and the subsequent criminal charges and
threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists.
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.
As an occasional viewer of Amy Goodman\’s interviews I thihk she is the best.
Me. A 1964, i.e., 1964, U.S. Army length of service military retiree who served this deceitful, thankless and unfogiving nation in three major wars and a dozen minor conflagration, and then BETRAYED along with 432,000 cohorts on future retired pay after we had one our time, I have to somewhat laugh at all the static thst now transpires. I have endured a pay discrimination of 92% of my ingrate successors for over 46 years.
Oh yes. I had \”earned\” under the \”law\” life-time health care. No. In the \’70s this same deceitful nation told me that on attaining age 65 when no longer subject to recall to active duty and wanting any health care, \”Go to Social Security and apply for Medicare part B\” along with the draft-dodger, highly paid civilian, and now the \”ingrate\” highly paid military successor.
So what else is new?