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NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Convention

By TChris, Section Republican National Convention 2004
Posted on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 11:43:27 AM EST
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by TChris

The New York Civil Liberties Union takes issue with NYPD’s assertion that it behaved with utmost professionalism during last year’s Republican National Convention.

The NYCLU report 'Rights and Wrongs at the RNC: A Special Report About Police and Protest at the Republican National Convention' recommends the establishment of an independent City agency to oversee the planning and management of large demonstrations. The report says the most troubling aspect of the NYPD's actions during the Convention was its resort to mass arrest tactics that resulted in large numbers of innocent people being swept into police custody.

More than 90 percent of the arrests ended with dismissals or acquittals -- hardly stellar police work. The report (pdf) also condemns “the pervasive surveillance of lawful demonstrators, and the illegal fingerprinting and prolonged detention of nearly 1,500 people charged with mostly minor offenses.”

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    NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Convention | 34 comments (34 topical)
    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#1)
    by roy on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 11:58:31 AM EST
    I usually just complain about TChris's posts, but this is bang on. And let's not forget about NY cops commiting perjury and (IMO) aggravated kidnapping.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 12:03:17 PM EST
    I have never been under martial law but it seemed very close to that during the RNC convention. The police were more intense than during the aftermath of 9/11. NYC turned out to be a big miscalculation. The RNC planned to shuttle between MSG and WTC for to maximize PR for WOT. The 9/11 widows and NYers refused to rubber stamp the mockery and so Chimp could not use the WTC site for his propaganda. The police were given a green light to arrest everyone, even tourists that happened to be exiting the subway near MSM during the convention. The WOT was the excuse. Cleansing 'filth' was the reason.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#3)
    by scarshapedstar on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 12:08:35 PM EST
    Freedom, freedom, freedom!

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#4)
    by kdog on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 01:25:40 PM EST
    What happened to lawful protestors during the RNC would make Thomas Jefferson puke. The Bill of Rights ain't what it used to be.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 01:47:35 PM EST
    This is further proof that you Dubyalovers SUCK!

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 02:09:03 PM EST
    Unfortunately, most of the truth about what happened will not come out in the media. It will eventually, when someone who sues the city collects on a judgment. But not until then. And that will be years after the fact. Democracy absolutely positively has to have an informed citizenry. Informed as in informed at the moment something important happens...not 3-4 years later. This is why talkleft and the other blogs and the alternative media are so important. The mainstream media has let us, the first amendment, themselves and the rest of the world in a worse position for their complicity in ALL THE BS that has happened in the last 5years. Its sickening and outright wrong. There should have been hordes of video cameras showing the round up of the protestors and the throwing them into large fenced in mini- guantanomo's. The rest of America deserved to see it reported to them as it happened. Not just "we have a report that many people have been removed from the protest area". That dont f-ing cut it. What is this, communist china?

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#7)
    by pigwiggle on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 02:21:07 PM EST
    I don’t know why, perhaps it’s the willingness of everyday folks to accept it, but I get most upset about the ‘free speech’ zones; and you know, if those spots are the place for free speech everywhere else… . Feel free to dissent, just do it in this little cage.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#8)
    by squeaky on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 02:29:11 PM EST
    PIG-free speech zones? WTF are you talking about? "this little cage" Are you drunk or terminally incoherent? I am missing your point.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 02:52:22 PM EST
    There is a missing component in these angry diatribes against the NYPD. The nonviolent protest on Sunday, in which a quarter of a million protesters participated. Without significant police incident. THAT is what people ought to remember, as salt to the later RNC-BUSH ORDERED POLICE RIOT. The RNC RENTED that toxic Pier specifically for this show-piece arrest sweep. Rightwing factions in the NYPD, sponging up DHS 'anti-terrorism' funds, put on a show of force to satisfy Karl Rove et al. That peaceful, massive protest is the REAL people's will, and I credit Bloomberg considerably for its accomplishment. And a great many NYPD participated with professionalism. What the RNC-NYPD thugs did later that week retrograded to the 1930s. It made oily bankers and criminal corporatists happy, happy, happy. But it was STAGED. The real protest, and the real NY, was seen on Sunday. And that shouldn't be forgotten. We stand in solidarity with those workers for peace: Mayor Bloomberg, the professional NYPD, and the hundreds of thousands of NYers and visitors who flooded the city with an aura of peace and happiness, outrage and refusal to be silenced, that is the REAL America in the face of the Bushliar coup.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#10)
    by glanton on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 03:07:23 PM EST
    Squeaky, Surely you remember the cages into which protestors at the DNC and RNC were placed: that was where "free speech" was okay, and it is this type of ridiculousness, at least I think it is, that pigwiggle is calling out. If anyone belongs in such cages, it is the people who came up with the idea of the cages in the first place.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#11)
    by squeaky on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 03:30:30 PM EST
    glanton-I do remember, hard to make out PW's point. Your version seems clear, although don't get it from his text.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 03:55:27 PM EST
    PIG-free speech zones...
    Ah hahaha... that's a pretty picture; a pig-free speech zone.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 03:58:52 PM EST
    This ain't GDubs fault Tom. NYC is run by a Republican in name only, and Democrats rule the rest of city government. The fact of the matter is both major parties don't give a damn about freedom and the Bill of Rights. It isn't a right-left thing, it's a tyranny thing. Right wing protestors were locked up in the Orwellian "free speech zones" with the left wingers.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 04:38:42 PM EST
    Why should anyone listen to ACLU whining! Stop it.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 05:36:50 PM EST
    Kdog, You may be right about Jefferson. Then again, you may be wrong. His committment to the Bill of Rights is, at best, suspect. The man did keep slaves, after all.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#17)
    by glanton on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 05:58:21 PM EST
    At least Jefferson wasn't a troll, justpaul. I was hoping you weren't either, but since all you had were insults followed by a claim about Zell Miller you couldn't possibly defend (don't feel bad, dittoheads don't have to explain their soundbites after all). kdog: I appreciate your enthusiasm for freedom, but really, as horrible as both parties undoubtedly are, they are by no means indistinguishable, especially in terms of civil liberties.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 06:15:08 PM EST
    Brilliant repartee Glanton. Just about your usual style. Zero thought, zero impact; just more excrement thrown to no effect at all. And you have the nerve to label someone else a "troll" because they have better things to do then play your idiotic games about what you define as a Democrat, as if anyone cares what you think about that.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#19)
    by glanton on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 06:25:51 PM EST
    Here's why I called you a troll, jp: In the other thread, you asserted: "Zell Miller is more of a Democrat than the majority of those who claim the title." That's pretty bold, dontcha think? Oughtn't someone who makes such a claim be able to substantiate it? Surely you can back that up? I mean, every time I hear Hannity or Limbaugh or Miller himself say this with such conviction one might think well, he believes it so strongly, he must have no problem defending it. But they never do. Because they cannot. Conversely, thou bottom feeder of the lowest order, I backed up by disputation of the claim with a litany of positions wherein Miller has been indisputably in lockstep with the GOP platform. Again, that is unless you're talking about two or three generations ago, or 1849. If that, especially, is the standard, then I absolutely agree with you--Miller's positions make him a true Democrat. On this very thread we have people claiming that the Dems and the Rethugs are the same. With people like you saying Miller is a true Democrat, it's no wonder such misinformation gets the traction it does.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 08:45:17 PM EST
    This happened during the RNC. I was wearning an expensive suit and tie, making my way down 6th avenue, when I stopped at the southeast corner of 51st street to avoid a protest on the northeast corner, at the radio city building. As I began crossing the street, one of 5 policement on the corner called out to me. "What's wrong." "I'm crossing the street." "Come over here. You look scared." I went over. There two officers to his left, and two to the right, all in partial riot gear. Hundreds of officers lined the streets. A couple officers carrying M16's were patrolling the streets. The protest at Radio City against the corporate media was completely behind police barricades and surrounded by cops. "Where are you going," the middle cop asked. "Home, upper west side." "You might want to take your jacket off. You stand out. You look like the enemy." He seemed to indicate the protesters. I said nothing. "You might want to take your tie off, maybe loosen your collar." I slowly took my tie off. Then I loosened a couple buttons. "And you might want to take your jacket off..." I said nothing. I didn't take my jacket off. Then finally I mentioned my brother's in the police (one brother is a detective, the other is a cop). There was a long silence. Then finally, the cop said, "OK. You can go. But you might want to take your jacket off." An officer directing traffic motioned for me to cross the street.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 10:27:17 PM EST
    Jefferson owned slaves, as did most of the signers. Unlike many of them, he had extensive plant research underway, trying to find solutions to human problems. And there is no record of him mistreating his slaves -- the claim that he had sex with Sally Hemings is a clearcut FRAUD. He was also opposed to the Bill of Rights at first, because of fears of 'parchment barriers' to tyranny. But to suggest that the author of the Declaration wasn't in favor of civil rights is HILARIOUS, you troll.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#21)
    by kdog on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 06:04:36 AM EST
    I don't know glanton, a vast majority of Democrats signed the Patriot Act. The Dems are voiceferous supporters of the drug war, the primary cause of the erosion of many civil liberties. There are some distinguishable differences between the parties, the preservation of freedom is not one of them. They both get "F"'s in my book.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#22)
    by pigwiggle on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 07:29:51 AM EST
    Squeaky- No, I’m not drunk. Perhaps you’re just obtuse?
    “PIG-free speech zones? WTF are you talking about? "this little cage" … glanton-I do remember, hard to make out PW's point.”
    Fine, I’ll try and parse it for you.
    “I don’t know why, perhaps it’s the willingness of everyday folks to accept it, but I get most upset about the ‘free speech’ zones”
    Lest see; I read most of the ACLU report and the thing that made me most angry was the ‘free speech’ zones. Everyone expects the cops to get out of hand, and most everyone can agree on the more egregious stuff. But I see these ‘free speech’ zones going up everywhere and the average joe doesn’t seem to be too upset. They were at the winter Olympics here in Salt Lake; there has been one on every university I’ve attended.
    “and you know, if those spots are the place for free speech everywhere else… . Feel free to dissent, just do it in this little cage.”
    So, the idea is that if there is a free speech zone on my publicly funded campus, or the public streets near an Olympic venue, all other places are NOT appropriate for demonstration. It’s as if I loose my right of speech or assembly when I step foot outside one of these zones. And to add insult to injury, many of these ‘free speech’ zones are caged with impressively tall chain link fencing. I understand that folks want to attend certain kinds of events without being subject to rowdy and offensive demonstrators; too bad. If they are going to attend a controversial event held in a public venue they might see and hear some offensive things.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 07:49:31 AM EST
    Glanton, And who appointed you as the sole arbiter of what it means to be a "true Democrat"? That I don't feel inclined to clog up these threads arguing your definition with you in no way proves or disproves the validity of your opinion; it merely indicates that I consider other things to be more valuable uses of my time. If my unwillingness to engage in your infantile games leads you to call me a "troll", so be it; I've been called worse by better people. You're just one person with their own opinion, Glanton; not God. Someday you're going to have to come to grips with that.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#24)
    by glanton on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:28:31 AM EST
    Trolls make assertions that they cannot or, perhaps, will not defend. Maybe they do it just to piss people off. I don't know. But I don't say anything on here for which I won't take responsibility, and which I won't defend--or retract or apologize for, if appropriate. Anyway, on the off chance that you might respond, and all name calling aside, jp, you made a very strong claim that I have often heard uttered but never seen defended. You accuse me of pretending to be some final arbiter; this is unfair. I just don't understand why someone who is a down-the-line Republican on every social and fiscal issue would even bother to call themselves a Democrat, and I'm even more at a loss to explain why others would parrot such tripe. I thought you were going to defend your statement, and so I made my case. To which I got, and no longer expect, a reply.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#25)
    by glanton on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:41:30 AM EST
    kdog: Yeah, I'm steamed about the Patriot Act, too, and have taken the Dems to task for it on this blog and others on numerous occasions. I'd yell at my own Dem Representatives, too, if I had any (in Texas). I would like to point out, however, that the Patriot Act is, of course, a Republican brain child. It could be no other way. There's a difference, too--however milquetoast it may be--between initiating evil legislation and caving to it--the Dems comprise the second category, and appear ashamed and pissed about it now, so much so that they will not re-sign the thing or some far mworse version of it. You're right about the drug war too. Certain illicit drugs, including mary jane, will forver remain illegal in my opinion, in America. Sucks but that's the way it is.And we could add more to the list. But in terms of women's rights, gay rights, free speech rights in both the artistic and political realms, there's no contest and I think you know it. Remember, kdog, of the two dominant parties, one openly proclaims that the Constitution does not provide for the right to privacy, and the other believes that it does. I would add, finally, that it was conflation which that bastard Nader used to torpedo Gore with what were obviously some exorbitantly high voters in several states and now look at the civil rights rollbacks we've seen in a mere five years. More's to come, too.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:46:57 AM EST
    Glanton, So you now claim the authority to define not only "Democrat" but "troll" as well? Good for you. But I think your definition of "Democrat" is quite wanting, dependant as it is on how Republicans define themselves and how you define the "appropriate" position of a "Democrat" in turn. I believe that Zell Miller would disagree with you on what it means to be a "true Democrat" , and I happen to believe that his definition, stated in terms of seeking what's best for this country rather than blind opposition to anything suggested by a "Republican" is more accurate. But that's just my opinion, and I don't feel obligated to defend it to you. As for trolls: We also differ there. I believe trolls are those who show up with the sole objective of inflaming the debate, and those who take every opportunity to turn a thread into an argument based on their own personal pet peeves, as you seem to be doing here. But again, that's just my opinion; feel free to harbor your own for as long as you wish.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:49:33 AM EST
    I would like to point out, however, that the Patriot Act is, of course, a Republican brain child So John Conyers is a Republican? That is a very limited view of "Democrat" that you have. Or are you saying that Conyers sponsored a bill he had never read? If so, it's hardly a reason to vote Democrat now, is it?

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#28)
    by glanton on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:59:57 AM EST
    jp: Touche on Conyers. There's no defending Dem behavior on the Patriot Act. And there are plenty of right wing Democrats, of course. But much of the party seems to now know it was a mistake, at least, whereas the Rethugs bare as proud of it as thou it were a firstborn child. So does "what's best for the country" include every single plank of the Republican platform, social issues as well? Because such is Miller's position. I mean, the reason this is important is because what you're saying, if taken to its logical conclusion, would suggest a one-party state. You know, so we can have Republican conventions year round.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 09:32:46 AM EST
    Glanton, I might well support a "one-party" state, as long as neither of the two parties now in control was involved. My vision would be more of a year-long block party for the whole country, not a convention, but to each his own, aye? Enjoy the day folks. Time to get ready for class.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 10:01:35 AM EST
    JP-you are one smug SOB. Brainless and clueless to boot. Where do you get your bad scripts, they certainly are not original.troll

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 10:56:05 AM EST
    Conyers - "The House bill's 10-year expiration of the two provisions, called a sunset provision, drew fire from Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. "I support the majority of the 166 provisions of the Patriot Act," but the 10-year extension lessens accountability, Conyers said. "

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#32)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 02:31:05 PM EST
    Posted by kdog: "a vast majority of Democrats signed the Patriot Act. justpaul: "Or are you saying that Conyers sponsored a bill he had never read?" Are you infants in the woods? Do you not KNOW, already, that any sponsorship of a 600-page bill revealed from on high (not written in the Congress) a couple of days after a massive disaster WASN'T READ BY A SINGLE PERSON IN CONGRESS. Most bills are not, can not be, read. That went out FIFTY years ago. But count on justpaul to pretend he doesn't know that. Kdog, to blame Dems for being led by the nose after 9i1 is your right, but exaggerating WHO is responsible for the PA is to ignore your real enemies. justpaul, how long does it take to write a 600-page bill? MONTHS IF NOT YEARS. And when it was slammed down on their desks on that fateful day, there was ZERO time given for them to even lift the covers. The PA originated in EXECUTIVE thinktanks. It, in itself, was a violation of the separation of powers portion of the Constitution.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 02:33:37 PM EST
    Posted by Anonymous: Conyers - "The House bill's 10-year expiration of the two provisions, called a sunset provision, drew fire" That's a fancy way of lying, making Conyers say the OPPOSITE of what he said. He protested the ten-year extension, and this LIE you post suggests he protested sunseting. WHAT A LIAR YOU ARE.

    Re: NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Conv (none / 0) (#34)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:04 PM EST
    PinLA, that was me that posted the Conyer's excerpt. I thought the second pgraph made it perfectly clear how Conyer's felt.

    NYCLU Releases Report on Republican Nat'l Convention | 34 comments (34 topical)