Restraining order sought against police at RNC after independent journalists repeatedly targeted.

Robert, if you are going to invoke memories of Vietnam, you must remember mayor Daily and Chicago.

I am begining to think that it is not really the fault of either party. So often cities campaign for the conventions (think also Olympics) to be held there, for many reasons such as national prestige, economics, etc. But the city officials aren't prepared for the reality of hosting such affairs. Local police, who are suddenly thrust into the national spotlight, aren't trained to deal with security issues associated with these types of events. As a result they tend to err on the side of caution.

I am still in awe of the police presence in Denver.

Here in NYC we've been subjected to excessive police presence since 9/11. While there have always been the UN events that shut down highways and remove every lose receptacle from the street and dignataries, including Presidents, that cause us to step up the NYPD, roads are closed and lined with cops of every stripe, the paramilitary units with dogs and SWAT teams, snipers on rooftops, helicopters in the air are all standard.

Some of it you do need to keep people safe with such enormous crowds. But then there is the too much and has the taste of an occupying force, itching to flex big muscle. We see some of that too and it generally gravitates toward protests of any kind. It's the gear that makes the big impact since we probably have as many uniforms and crowd protections in place on New Years as the Convention needed. The over the top part is the head game of a tyrannical mindset and that's scariest.

1. Don't believe everything you read. If it captures your attention for whatever reason, do your own research and get as close to the truth as you possibly can. Then decide.

2. Act as witness to what you see. Record your thoughts, record what you see via video or camera if you can.

3. Realize that what goes on in the periphery of the actual conventions is incredibly important, and that, in 2008, much of it goes way beyond party affiliations. People are angry, and they are trying to get the attention of as many people as they can.

Hear hear. I can't tell you the number of times I've gone to protests that are quite large, and the mainstream media pretends it just didn't even happen. It wakes you up to everything else they're not reporting on.

Yea, I think the protest coverage is more important and interesting than the RNC coverage that OttO and I have been doing. The mainstream media has the RNC pretty well covered, but it's been ignoring so much about the protests that there still is so many stories to tell.

Who will watch the watchmen?

If you have to do that then this country is in police state mode!

Thomas Jefferson hates America! He hates our freedoms! He's probably a Muslim homosexual Democrat that kills babies! He's a terrorist!

Link.

If the reporters have nothing to hide they should welcome the police with open arms. These reporters must all be liberals.

@Tappy McWidestance, 22.1

I'll assume by that name, your post is sarcastic?

Because they don't give a @!$%# about the independent media that's been costing them so much money and making them look bad.

It's not making Canadian news either, is anyone else paying attention?

All I have seen in main stream news is reports of "anarchist" rioting and the arrests that follow. There was also reports of a sit in, but each report is completely bias toward the polices perspective. I have yet to read a main stream article that portrays any of these "anarchists" as actually people with opinions, they are just being portrayed as trouble makers. I have no doubt that they are dealing with their share of weirdos that are just trying to make trouble, but surely any good new source would at least attempt to get the other sides perspective so they could at least claim journalistic objectivity.

OK there are a few "I-reports" on cnns web page where individuals have posted pictures and video. One of the i-report videos links to this web blog "kyle (dot) tv" where the individuals have video of them being arrested on their way to watch a concert. The police involved look like storm troopers. I know we need to keep the police safe, but there is something to be said about escalating a situation by show of force. The police do not look like they are out to protect and keep order, they look like they are out to wage full on war. It would make me nervous just being around someone that was in full battle gear. Really is it necessary for the entire police force to be walking around in flack jackets and gas masks?

thats the new world order waging war on the american people.i guess we should wear flack jackets too.the govt. and its institutions have lost all standards and ethics.absolute power that just wants to destroy.it makes me sick that peoples rights are being violated by institutions that supposedly work for us.its not america anymore.

All I have seen in main stream news is reports of "anarchist" rioting and the arrests that follow.

Sean Hannity had Newt on last night and Hannity opened with something along the lines of "isn't this an example of some of the worst of the democrats - their core constituency" or something, in a blatant attempt to paint Democrats as anarchists who hate this country.

Newt, for his part, corrected Hannity later and indicated that he was seeing two types of protesters in Minneapolis: Type 1 was the peaceful anti-war protesters - Newt applauded them and said they were what made America great. Type 2 was anarchists who hate the establishment, both conservatives and liberals alike. Newt didn't like Hannity's claim that the violent anarchists were democrats.

We're not. We hate Democrats. Almost as much as Republicans.

We do hate the establishment. More people should. Frankly, people accepting the establishment and United States culture largely unquestionably, just picking their preferred side of the status quo, is far more problematic. Though I'm not the patriotic type, that's kind of the (purported) ideal that this nation is based on; question the power structure, keep the people in control of their own destinies, etc.

That ideal is the basis of limited (read that Constitutional) government, y'know. Now we're charged with being traitors (weren't the Founding Fathers everyone's so high on actually traitors?) for challenging any governmental decision by some people, and it irks me to no end. I wrote a rant article about that a few months ago, actually, in the height of the ZOMG OSAMA HUSSEIN BARRAK DOESNT WHERE A FLAG PIN!!!!!!!111!!1!!1 hype.

McCain and Obama were interviewed for some church in mid-August, I saw footage of it on Fox News. Obama wore a flag pin. McCain didn't. He must hate the U.S.

Limited government is a step in the right direction. =)

Our first president was an insurrectionist, leading cells of terrorists against the government. Samuel Adams was a terrorist, too. Thomas Paine was the Ward Churchill of the 18th century.

Yes, Arad, I am having that same nightmare vision of the future according to the power elite. I'm so hoping I will wake up soon:-(

absolutely right.police protect the crooked govt.the govt. looks out for itself and special intersts and world banks.not a democracy anymore.we will have to fight for our constitutional rights or loose them.

They are enforcers of the ruling class, plain and simple.