Tacoma SDS

The first Tacoma SDS meeting of the year will be held in the McCormick Room of the library (3rd Floor) on Monday, September 8th, at 8pm. Hope to see you all there!

In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 alleged leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee with Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, and Max Spector, face up to 7 1/2 years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge which allows for a 50% increase in the maximum penalty.

Two PepperSpray collective members, Lambert Rochfort and Joe LaSac, on assignment in St Paul covering the protests associated with the Republican National Convention, were both arrested on Sunday while covering the story. Both are still being held without charges or an opportunity to go before a judge. update: Joe La Sac appears to have been released; no confirmation yet. update: Joe's release has been confirmed, although the police continue to hold his camera equipment and personal belongings hostage.

A group that fights illegal immigration is gathering signatures to submit an initiative that would toughen current laws, but leaders of the group say they're not sure how the initiative's vague language would affect the ability of illegal immigrants to get emergency medical care or a high school education.

Portland Indymedia has been broadcasting all day (and will continue to do so) live over the interwebs. Tune in at any of these three mirrors:

stream 1; stream 2; stream 3

PRESS RELEASE -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Repeated attacks on the civil liberties of independent press and activists before and during the election process emerge as a pattern. Video after the break...

The evening of Friday, 19 August 2008, saw police--with guns drawn--busting down doors and detaining all those present in the St. Paul RNC Convergence Center. This raid marked the beginning of a series of actions against journalists and activists in the area, including harassment, detainment, arrest, theft of video and photographic equipment, and raids on other structures. It is clear that intimidation and violence will be "The St. Paul Standard" for the next week in the Twin Cities.

2008/08/31 13:32 PST: In addition to the multiple raids against homes throughout the area, union members and sympathizers are now being targeted. Be sure to check out the ridiculous amount of information linked below...
2008/08/31 14:20 PST: Acumensch provides an excellent summary of raids and raid-related issues to-date at his blog, Hyperborea.

Lots more coverage is available. update: Illegal Police Raid on Anti-RNC Convergence Space in St. Paul; Police break down doors in night-time raid on anarchist meeting ; Rumors circulating of possible police sweeps in Minneapolis this weekend another update: More police raids on Saturday morning - same warrants used as last night; preRNC Raids on Activist Houses; and special coverage in an episode of It's the END of the World AS we KNOW it and I feel FINE yet another update: Twin Cities Indymedia public space was not raided; other police raids are unfolding; Convergence Space Re-Opens, Moving forward with organizing for Sept 1; More journalist detainments - IMC & Democracy Now! taken into custody in St. Paul - mysterious raid against CUAPB; Anti-RNC Activists Respond to Police Raids even more updates: TC-IMC Exclusive: Complete search warrant from Minneapolis raid today; RNC Welcoming Committee Organizers Seek Sanctuary From Illegal Arrests; We stop for no one - a LOLCATS moment; PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY: Motion for Emergency Restraining Order Against Police; Train with reinstated union starbuck barista returning to work today stopped, surrounded by cops update update update (and lots of video): Homes Raided by St. Paul Police; National Lawyers Guild: Police Raid "Preventive Detention"; Police Bust Thru Attic to Detain "Democracy Now" Producer; Police Swarm & Seize Earth Justice Bus in St. Paul; Police Detain Journalists-Amy Goodman Jumps Fence To Question Cops; Activists Laugh At Sheriff's "Criminal Enterprise" Accusation;
"No Knock" Raid Of House Supplying Food To RNC Protesters

*Berkeley, CA* — At 10:30 am on Wednesday, August 27th, the UC Berkeley police, plainclothes FBI agents, and an Alameda County sheriff raided at gunpoint the Long Haul, a long-standing community library and info shop. Police spent at least an hour and a half searching the premises without allowing Long Haul members entry to their building. More than a dozen computers and other equipment were seized in the morning raid. Having made no attempt to contact Long Haul members, agents forced their way into the building by entering a neighboring non-profit office with guns drawn. Police refused to provide a search warrant until after the raid was over and property was seized.

more from The Long Haul website
additional coverage at The Berkeley Daily Planet and Indybay

Three Seattle activists and one Portland activist involved with Team Victory, FNB, SSN, SDS and other projects also arrested yesterday at the DNC demonstrations in Denver. They are Marianne, Nicole, Rik (from Seattle) and Scott (from Portland). Charges include interference, failure to disperse, disobeying an officer, as well as other more questionable charges including loitering, begging, and throwing missiles.

Bond set at $530 each and three are out as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Please contact 206-600-1473 for more updates