Pre-emptive war, homestyle.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul, against potential NON-VIOLENT protestors!
According to Glenn Greenwald in Salon,
Protesters here in Minneapolis have been targeted by a series of highly
intimidating, sweeping police raids across the city, involving teams of
25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn,
entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and
forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers
searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political
pamphlets. Last night, members of the St. Paul police department and
the Ramsey County sheriff's department handcuffed, photographed and detained
dozens of people meeting at a public venue to plan a demonstration,
charging them with no crime other than "fire code violations," and
early this morning, the Sheriff's department sent teams of officers
into at least four Minneapolis area homes where suspected protesters
were staying.
Read more and see the videos here at Greenwald's blogsite at Salon. Especially see the second video in which Bruce Nestor, lawyer and head of the Minnesota Lawyers Guild, describes the raids which are by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department, the justification and charges they are using and the possible motivations of the Sheriff.
It's pretty scary stuff.
UPDATE
It appears more than the sheriff's office was involved; there are photos of at least one man with an FBI shirt on. BUT
While the tactics are excessive to the max, the group involved may not be so innocent. Read the account in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune here.
They are excessive tactics, without a doubt. Like using a cannon to kill a flea.