NPR: What the Well-Dressed Cop Wears at the RNC

What the Well-Dressed Cop Wears at the RNC

Storm Troopers

Credit: Steve Proffitt

-- Steve Proffitt

A variety of groups, most identifying themselves as anarchists, are promising to do what they can to disrupt the Republican National Convention. Yesterday there were sporadic incidents of violence in St. Paul. Along with a large group of peaceful protesters, agitators broke windows, hurled bottles at police and generally tried to cause trouble.

Storm Trooper

The police here are prepared. With temperatures yesterday in the 90's, they were clad in an amazing array of riot gear. Black vests, shoulder pads, legs pads and helmets form the basis of their protection. They carried long, ominous-looking clubs, plastic ties to cuff suspects and gas masks. And yesterday they employed mace, pepper spray and tear gas on several occasions. Below, a shot I caught of an officer releasing some spray on demonstrators who were gathered just outside our workspace, in the offices of Minnesota Public Radio.

An officer releases spray on demonstrators.

Credit: Steve Proffitt

Police officials here said they made around 300 arrests yesterday. Of those, some 130 people were charged with felonies. Both the police and the agitators say they expect the confrontations to continue, and perhaps escalate, as the convention proceeds towards its Thursday night conclusion.

10:44 AM ET | 09- 2-2008 | permalink

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FREE AMY GOODMAN!!!

Sent by big!pink!fuzzy!bunny! | 6:36 PM ET | 09-03-2008

What would it take to get NPR to dig in to the preemptive raids and mass arrests in St. Paul? Your minimal coverage is getting too much like Network "News". Come on guys. It could have been you arrested with your camera men.

Sent by David Marsing | 1:42 AM ET | 09-04-2008

I'm glad you interviewed youth (9-5) who were denied press passes and access to the convention, though I found your tone patronizing. What I'd really like to hear is an interview with Amy Goodman (who had the access pass ripped from around her neck) and her reporters who had their faces smashed into the ground in the process of trying to do their job. In an age when our constitutional rights are being ignored and abused with impunity, why does NPR continue to sound like Campbell's Soup and Wonder Bread?

Sent by Elizabeth Kushigian | 2:23 PM ET | 09-04-2008

Zieg Heil, Amerika! And thanks, NPR, for facilitating the rise of our fascist overlords.

Sent by Julie Baxter | 2:31 PM ET | 09-04-2008

So much for McCain's unity speech, it's exposed as a republican police state.

Sent by Lyle K. Deere | 10:45 AM ET | 09-05-2008

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