Gop Convention Protests Turn Violent

[UNTflyer]

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Protesters smashed windows, punctured car tires and threw bottles Monday during an anti-war march to the site of the Republican National Convention. Police used pepper spray in confrontations with demonstrators and arrested five.

Instead of the single coherent march that organizers had hoped for, fringe groups of anarchists and others wrought havoc along the streets between the state Capitol and the Xcel Energy Center where the convention was taking place.

Police estimates of the crowd shifted during the event before settling on 8,000 to 10,000. The crowd was clearly in the thousands, many of them marching peacefully.

The arrests occurred in confrontations several blocks from the convention arena. Five people were arrested for lighting a trash bin on fire and pushing it into a police car, St. Paul police spokesman Tom Walsh said.

About 20 anarchists who had started the trash bin fire later tried to block the intersection of St. Peter and Exchange streets. Police quickly dispersed the group, then shot two tear gas canisters at the fleeing anarchists.

Pictures taken by Associated Press photographers showed officers using pepper spray on protesters who appeared to be trying to block streets.

"There are people who are committing violations of law and they're being arrested," Walsh said.

About 200 people from a group called Funk the War noisily staged its own separate march. Wearing black clothes, bandanas and gas masks, some of their members smashed windows of cars and stores. They tipped over newspaper boxes, pulled a big trash bin into the street, bent the rear view mirrors on a bus and flipped heavy stone garbage bins on the sidewalks.

One man who seemed to be the leader of the group carried a yellow flag with the motto "Don't Tread on Me." The group chanted: "Whose streets? Our streets!"

Edited September 2, 2008 by UNTflyer

[Mean Green 93-98]

Ironic.

[UNTflyer]

Ironic.

Indeed. Let's march for peace and participate in the democratic process by destroying private and public property and assaulting police.

"The day's march was organized by a group called the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, whose leaders said they hoped for a peaceful, family-friendly march."

Edited September 2, 2008 by UNTflyer

[NT Drummer]

I'm amazed that AP actually called them anarchists.

[KRAM1]

They should simply be called "IDIOTS"! What part of absolutely STUPID do they not understand? Who the heck do they think has to pay to fix all the damage done during their "peaceful protest march"? Do these sort of "I don't know how to think for myself" folks have any real jobs or real responsibilities? Where the heck do these nut cases come from? I have no problem with folks "protesting" the war, but to go to this level of "nutsville" in their actions is nothing but the "herd mentality" taking over and dragging a bunch of "sheep" with it! I would imagine that less the 50% of the nut caes even vote! I am disgusted with this type of "protest" and with the folks who "go along". Get a life and get some respect and responsibility while you are at it! GOOD GRIEF!

[forevereagle]

If anarchists organize and assemble, are they still anarchists?

[meangreendork]

fringe groups of anarchists and others wrought havoc along the streets between the state Capitol and the Xcel Energy Center where the convention was taking place.

Way to mess it up for everyone.

[KRAM1]

Nope...just idiots who have no clue about much of anything. I'll bet if you sat one of them down and engaged him/her in a sane and rational discussion about the issues he/she is protesting, the "protester" would have very little if any answers except to spout out some tried and true anti-war slogans from the 60's, some media re-hash and whatever unsupported quote he/she can come up with that sounds "anti-establishment".

These folks usually have very little if anything to add to any sane conversation. All emotions. Sad!

[meangreendork]

Nope...just idiots who have no clue about much of anything. I'll bet if you sat one of them down and engaged him/her in a sane and rational discussion about the issues he/she is protesting, the "protester" would have very little if any answers except to spout out some tried and true anti-war slogans from the 60's, some media re-hash and whatever unsupported quote he/she can come up with that sounds "anti-establishment".

These folks usually have very little if anything to add to any sane conversation. All emotions. Sad!

That's a bit of a generalization. However, I don't disagree that the people instigating the violence aren't nutcases, and the people who stood around and joined the mob mentality with them are just as bad.

[yyz28]

If anarchists organize and assemble, are they still anarchists?

...this question trumps the age old "which came first, the chicken or the egg."

[EagleD]

Nope...just idiots who have no clue about much of anything. I'll bet if you sat one of them down and engaged him/her in a sane and rational discussion about the issues he/she is protesting, the "protester" would have very little if any answers except to spout out some tried and true anti-war slogans from the 60's, some media re-hash and whatever unsupported quote he/she can come up with that sounds "anti-establishment".

These folks usually have very little if anything to add to any sane conversation. All emotions. Sad!

When do you want to talk? and what is the bet?

Edited September 3, 2008 by EagleD

[UNTflyer]

And we have a columnist in Philadelphia threatening voters if they don't vote for Obama:

"If McCain wins, look for a full-fledged race and class war, fueled by a deflated and depressed country, soaring crime, homelessness - and hopelessness!"

Nice.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20...eorge_Bush.html

[meangreendork]

And we have a columnist in Philadelphia threatening voters if they don't vote for Obama:

"If McCain wins, look for a full-fledged race and class war, fueled by a deflated and depressed country, soaring crime, homelessness - and hopelessness!"

Nice.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20...eorge_Bush.html

I don't like McCain much, but this is a little extreme as a prediction.

[JesseMartin]

Yup, that sounds like home.

And reminds me why I hate "home".

[untbowler]

And we have a columnist in Philadelphia threatening voters if they don't vote for Obama:

"If McCain wins, look for a full-fledged race and class war, fueled by a deflated and depressed country, soaring crime, homelessness - and hopelessness!"

Nice.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20...eorge_Bush.html

do you actual expect anything else from a city that boos Santa Clause??

[KRAM1]

So, EAGLED, you were in St. paul with the protesters????? Just wondering.

[EagleD]

So, EAGLED, you were in St. paul with the protesters????? Just wondering.

No, I'm in Austin where I often voice my displeasure with the current administration through protest. If I had been in St. Paul, rest assured, I would have been on the streets with the rest of the protesters. Many of those people are my friends. Most are bright, passionate, articulate people, and a there are also a few nuts.

[Mean Green 93-98]

No, I'm in Austin where I often voice my displeasure with the current administration through protest. If I had been in St. Paul, rest assured, I would have been on the streets with the rest of the protesters. Many of those people are my friends. Most are bright, passionate, articulate people, and a there are also a few nuts.

I don't believe Kram was referring to protesters in general, but to the violent and destructive nuts the article talks about.

[KRAM1]

EageD...you should look up my nephew and his wife down there in the "People's Republic of Austin". You guys sound so very much alike. Guys a public school teacher (7th grade Texas history) and is a SUPER teacher. I wish my kids had every teacher just like him. Although his politics are much like yours appear to be, he doesn't let that spill over into his teaching. Very good, very dedicated teacher. He's a UNT grad too...so look him up...send me a PM if you want contact info. Guy is married with a little guy about 6 and a new baby girl. Wife is great too...nice folks, love Austin, etc., etc.

Glad you guys are in Austin and not in a "swing state"...Texas is a RED State and will be a RED State after the November election...so, go ahead...vote away!

You guys can get together and ahve a beer or two at the Texas Chili parlor and bash those mean ole Republicans who are trying to allow you to run your own lives without BIG Government taking all your hard earned dollars and trying to keep the returns on your 401K and 403B's depressed with all the taxes they want to levy on Big Business. Gee, guess what happens when Big Business gets taxed? Thompson had something to say about tbat last night at the RNC Convention. Did you catch it? In case you didn't...those taxes added to big business to "punish them for the greedy ways" end up making your food bill, gasoline bill, etc, etc, higher.

Let me know, and I'll hook you up with a great guy down in Austin and another member of the Mean Green nation...although I don't know if he's a big football fan. You just have to overlook that liberal stuff with the guy. Too much more to like! He might just be a "closet" Liberterian as he was a Ron Paul guy at heart!

[Censored by Laurie]

but to the violent and destructive nuts the article talks about.

Agreed...they ought to stay in office where they belong.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Here's more reason to be disturbed that there are people on this board who actually identify themselves with the convention protestors: http://www.twincities.com/ci_10365754

• Group members discussed the possibility of kidnapping delegates, blockading bridges, using liquid sprayers filled with urine or chemicals on police and throwing marbles to trip police and their horses.

• At an "action camp" held from July 31 to Aug. 3 in Lake Geneva, Minn., one member talked of concealing inside giant puppets "materials" that could be used on the street. Others discussed the need for Molotov cocktails, paint, caltrops (devices used to puncture tires), bricks and lockboxes for protesters to lock themselves together.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I'm amazed that AP actually called them anarchists.

---I may be wrong but I think some of those involved refered to themselves that way... I have missed a lot of newcasts lately but it seems they did not go out of their way to cover these idiots. Usually the networks overdo these type of stories. Glad to see that no one here is trying to blame the opposition party either because they have had nothing to do with this action, just as was the case in 1968 when all hell broke loose at the Chicago convention at the other parties convention. In that case it was much worse and also involved a war which was very unpopular and much larger..