Amy Goodman arrested at RNC

[Buzz]

This is some serious shit. Amy Goodman is one of the most respected and most watched independent journalists in the United States. No doubt there will be more about this on Democracy Now! (http://www.democracynow.org) tomorrow. Amy is a calm professional journalist, 51 years old. She would cover a riot, but she would never incite one. Her only threat to authority is her questions. They took her down tonight.

http://www.freespeech.org/fscm2/contentviewer.php?content_id=1737

Amy Goodman and Two Democracy Now! Producers Unlawfully Arrested At the RNC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
www.democracynow.org

September 1, 2008

Contact:
Dennis Moynihan 917-549-5000
Mike Burke 646-552-5107

ST. PAUL, MN—Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time. Police violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested her. Video of her arrest can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ

Goodman was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! producers who were being unlawfuly detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar 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 Sherrif Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

Democracy Now! is calling on all journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris Rider from Mayor Coleman's office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

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 Amenmdent rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which they were arrested law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. Several dozen others were also arrested during this action.

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 is a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists from the nation's leading independent news outlet.

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.

Video of Amy Goodman's Arrest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ

[Galadriel]

Wow... that's just disturbing.

[Buzz]

Today's program was very disturbing indeed, with video and full reports of their arrests. It's clear from the videos that neither Amy nor her reporters were acting agressively, but nevertheless they were treated like enemies of the state by the local riot police. One of the producers, a woman, was thrown to the ground in a parking lot, jackbooted, and dragged along the ground face first, her face bleeding. To prevent them from filming any more, their camera was disabled and they were handcuffed and arrested. The reporters clearly did not present a threat. They were not part of a group of protestors. They were targetted not because they blocked or interfered with the riot police, but because they were simply filming the event, even though their press passes permitted them to be there. Amy Goodman was arrested when she inquired about the status of her producers.

What has happened to our country? We are becoming more and more like the countries we used to claim that we were better than. Who will defend the constitution of the United States, and why is that a radical notion now?

Watch what you won't see on CNN: http://www.democracynow.org/shows/2008/9/2

And listen to a very interesting interview on the Thom Hartmann program: MP3 (http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SANFRANCISCO-CA/KKGN-AM/hartmann%209-2%20hr%201.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=SANFRANCISCO-CA&NG_FORMAT=progressivetalk&SITE_ID=5257&STATION_ID=KKGN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Green_960_-_Thom_Hartmann&PCAST_CAT=Podcasts&PCAST_TITLE=Green_960_-_Thom_Hartmann)

[Dino Velvet]

Never heard of her. Who's Amy Goodman?

[Buzz]

Never heard of her. Who's Amy Goodman?
Hi Dino,

This (link (http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/04/01/int04006.html)) should answer your question. You can see the program on some PBS and public access stations, on satellite tv, some public radio stations, and on the internet at DemocracyNow.org (http://www.democracynow.org).

[Dino Velvet]

Why is her show called Democracy Now? Does she run it out of North Korea or some country that doesn't have a Democracy?

[trish]

No she doesn't broadcast from North Korea. But that doesn't prevent the show from advocating democracy in North Korea, East Timor, the Republican National Convention or elsewhere in the world where freedom of speech is curtailed by armed authorities.