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Violence Breaks Out at Anti-War Protest in St. Paul
September 01, 2008 4:49 PM
UPDATE: As of Tuesday morning, police have arrested more than 280 demonstrators throughout the downtown St. Paul area, according to the Associated Press.
ABC News' Lindsey Ellerson Reports: Waving signs and chanting in unison "troops out now", thousands of anti-war protesters took to the streets of St. Paul Monday for what is the largest anti-war rally scheduled during the week of the Republican Convention. Police estimated a crowd of 8,000-10,000 at the event organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, despite initial predictions that up to 50,000 demonstrators would show up.
The gathering kicked off at the State Capitol and soon gathered steam into a large march to the Xcel Energy Center, where Sen. John McCain is scheduled to accept the Republican nomination for president on Thursday.
Enthusiastic demonstrators screamed "war isn't the answer!", some inciting violence against police trying to control the march.
“Whose streets? Our streets!” yelled a young demonstrators who clashed with law enforcement.
As activists tried to push through police barricades to make their way down to the convention center, it appeared that police were using pepper spray to quell the chaotic activity.
"We do believe that some sort of chemical agent was deployed," said a representative from the RNC's Joint Information Center, when asked by ABCNews.
Officials are reporting that the protest activity resulted in 13 arrests, seven misdemeanors, two gross misdemeanors and four felonies today.
For the latest on Hurricane Gustav, watch "Gustav Storms the Gulf" on a special edition of "20/20" at 10 p.m. ET
The St. Paul rally opened peacefully with various speakers addressing the large crowd about what they called atrocities committed by the Bush administration.
“When I say Bush, you say Liar. Bush! Liar! Bush! Liar!”roared the crowd in a call and answer session. “When I say Cheney, everybody duck!”
According to the organizers, the protest was officially endorsed by more than 125 national and local organizations.
Jay Marx, an avid activist who spent last week at the DNC in Denver, is visiting St. Paul to support impeachment of President George Bush and represent all forms of freedom.
“There might be various flavors and pieces of justice represented here, but fundamentally, we’re all here to stand for the same peace.”
Jerry Krause, a professor at a St. Paul University and member of Veterans for Peace, paraded through the crowd holding a large, bloodied flag.
When asked by ABC News if the RNC’s cancellation of evening events, which were scheduled to include President Bush and Vice President Cheney, deterred his desire to protest, Krause replied, “Bush didn’t cancel the war.”
Many activists came to support the cause from miles away. Matthew Jones, a 22 year old student who drove 950 miles to stand up against the Bush administration, was dressed in an orange jumpsuit with a black cloak over his head.
“I am here to represent the political prisoners, people locked in Gitmo without due process and the Iraq war impending Iranian conflict…because I don’t want my daughter to be affected by this capitalistic government, and then be left with nothing.”
The rally began at 11a.m. and continued throughout the afternoon.
September 1, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (272)
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Look at all of the allies in terrorism outside that convention. Those Osama binLaden supporters and Jihadists should be ashamed of themselves.
I bet most of this bunch cheered and still cheer when they watch the video of the planes crashing into our buildings. Disgustingly pathetic bunch of treasonous trash, but this is America. I would just love to be a cop.
Posted by: Go Cops!! | Sep 1, 2008 5:40:19 PM
Go Cops!! - Maybe they have lost friends, neighbors. Maybe they don't like the trillion dollars spent on occupying a country that we invaded through preemption. Maybe you are part of the problem. Are you cheering for the lives lost and money wasted?
Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 1, 2008 5:43:09 PM
Ben Straub: Why don't you crawl back under your rock? Iraq is a tremendous success story in the face of extreme criticism from the same type of people who were ready to lynch Abraham Lincoln.
Posted by: Nobama09 | Sep 1, 2008 5:46:21 PM
Note to protesters: Take over the PA system and play Black Sabbath's War Pigs.
Posted by: Huh | Sep 1, 2008 5:46:49 PM
Isn't this more of a police matter than a pro-war or anti-war matter?
Posted by: Stan | Sep 1, 2008 5:47:18 PM
Nobama09 - Success story. I hope you are not serious. We have adopted a foreign policy of preemptive war that we can't afford without borrowing money from China. Maybe you and your republican goons can do us a favor and crawl under some of those rocks you mention.
Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 1, 2008 5:49:14 PM
Where' Griff from FOX News shouting "Do you not believe in freedom?"
Posted by: Mage | Sep 1, 2008 5:49:40 PM
Mage - Griff must be under one of those rocks Nobama09 referenced.
Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 1, 2008 5:51:06 PM
Seems that the anti-lib/dem clashes at the DNC were somewhat peaceful but of course, the lib/dems can't show the same respect for the RNC. I say, go get 'em cops! Clean out the scum.
Posted by: pna9876 | Sep 1, 2008 5:53:49 PM
Preemption? Try failing to adhere to the resolutions put on them. And the continued failure of them was "serious consequences".
I knew, as most people knew, what that meant.
So save your rehearsed speech from 4 years ago about the war.
Saddams failure to comply was reason enough for war.
You people just hate war and you hate the troops that fight them. You are not fooling anyone. You started that crap 4 years ago then back peddled profusely when you realized you would be booted from the country if you ever try that crap again. So you "change" it to support the troops, end the war garbage.
You plug your ears and scream like a parrot "Bush lied". Um, he still has a job with a democrat majority. If he lied and it is so easily proved, why is he still residing at 1600 Penn?
Posted by: I hate jihadists | Sep 1, 2008 5:53:52 PM
Got news for you Benny. I'm not republican, I'm independent. And I think we did the right thing in Iraq by getting rid of the mass murderer Saddam and then sticking it out until the country could run itself. It is clear now our mission is succeeding. It is only buffoons like yourself that give the terrorists any hope at all.
Posted by: Nobama09 | Sep 1, 2008 5:56:15 PM
MEANWHILE THE RNC CONVENTION IS FAILING!!!
It will be the biggest joke in history!!
CNN is reporting on all the stories floating around the floor of the convention right now. Like all of Palin's problems and why wasn't she vetted properly!!
The delegates are all worried about what will come out tomorrow in the sad Palin VP mistake saga....
Poor, poor Republicans....
And since Gustov turned into a CAT 1 and pretty much missed New Orleans, what is John McCain going to do hide behind now???
At least McCain got to avoid having Bush and Cheney speak on TV at the convention!
With Gustov or not this Rethug Convention was doomed to FAILURE...
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!!!!
Posted by: Davis | Sep 1, 2008 5:56:47 PM
With McCain having an even more radical position on the war than even Buch, saying stay a 100 years in Iraq, protests are even more appropriate.
Posted by: Rich | Sep 1, 2008 5:58:01 PM
I hate jihadists- Are you saying that I hate my friends that serve in the armed forces. You are a dumbass. We should not be in the business of enforcing UN resolutions where war is called for against a country that has not attacked us. Don't you republicans believe in fiscal conservatism anymore? A trillion dollars and counting. You people actually believe this was a good idea. Are you mental? For democracy? Give me a break. Ya I hate war because innocent civilians die. So what. Is that really so bad? Bush is still residing at 1600 Penn because the dems are not gutsy enough to get rid of him, and by the way I was stupid enough to vote for Bush so i am extra ticked off.
Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 1, 2008 5:59:14 PM
Why aren't these cakes working? Where do they get their money? Oh, I forgot, it's from ANSWER, the communists.
Bush lied? Come on now, libs. Slick Willie and Hitlery were screaming for Saddam's head in the 90's. They just didn't have any gonads to go get him. Well, Bill didn't.
If it was me over there, I would mop up the trash in the street with one of them. Better yet, draft them to go fight in Afghanstan.
Posted by: LarryMan | Sep 1, 2008 6:04:34 PM
Republicans are having a tough time today.
Posted by: Tough Luck | Sep 1, 2008 6:07:27 PM
Generals gathered in their masses,
just like witches at black masses.
Evil minds that plot destruction,
sorcerers of death's construction.
In the fields the bodies burning,
as the war machine keeps turning.
Death and hatred to mankind,
poisoning their brainwashed minds.
Oh lord, yeah!
Politicians hide themselves away.
They only started the war.
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor, yeah.
Time will tell on their power minds,
making war just for fun.
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
wait till their judgement day comes, yeah.
Now in darkness world stops turning,
ashes where the bodies burning.
No more War Pigs have the power,
Hand of God has struck the hour.
Day of judgement, God is calling,
on their knees the war pigs crawling.
Begging mercies for their sins,
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings.
Oh lord, yeah!
--Black Sabbath, War Pigs
Posted by: Huh | Sep 1, 2008 6:07:29 PM
Funny when people speak of peace and get our troops home,then they are the ones to be violent outside the peaceful gathering of the RNC.
Posted by: Amy | Sep 1, 2008 6:08:09 PM
Funny how this is a "Top Story", yet the protests here in Denver were largely unreported by the MSM... but there is no double-standard... No, really...We swear!
Posted by: adam | Sep 1, 2008 6:08:49 PM
I hate jihadists - I almost forgot the armed forces have given overwhelmingly to Obama and Ron Paul. The troops don't believe in the Iraq intervention. By these statistics, I would say you hate the troops and love war.
Posted by: Ben Straub | Sep 1, 2008 6:08:51 PM
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