MPD

Chamber of Commerce funnels money to Norm Coleman to protect banks, thwart unionizing

National businesses and banks have been feeding Norm Coleman major sums of cash this last quarter, despite the fact that corporations and, especially the financial sector, are withering in a crippling economy and asking taxpayers for bailouts. According to a story in L.A. Times last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent $30 million on lobbying in the third quarter of this year, more than twice as much as it spent for the same purpose in the previous quarter. And a chunk of that change is going to Minnesota senator Norm Coleman.

RNC8 supporters urged to phone in protests to officials today

With several members of the RNC8 — the people charged with felonies in conjunction with planned protests at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul last month — heading to court today for hearings in their cases, the Friends of the RNC8 are asking supporters to phone three local officials today to urge that charges [...]

Like Goldilocks, survey says police handled RNC ‘just about right’

Hey, someone’s been eating my constitutional rights!

After St. Paul announced last week that a man named Heffelfinger would review law enforcement during the Republican National Convention, a local TV station trumpeted what would seem to be Goldilocks’ view on the matter.

This weekend’s SurveyUSA/KSTP-TV poll reported that — in Three-Bears fashion — 60 percent of Minnesotans surveyed chose “Just About Right” as the best answer to this question: “How do you think law enforcement handled the arrests of hundreds of protesters during the Republican National Convention?”

“Just About Right?” Does that mean 60 percent of Minnesotans think that 45 is just about the right number of journalists to be arrested and detained?

LOL RNC Riot Cops: I can has intimidation?

The irreverent internet meme that first appeared as LOL Cats then morphed into LOL Bush and LOL McCain has made its way across the irony bridge to LOL RNC Riot Police. A blogger at PunditKitchen.com has uploaded photos of RNC police, including one of our own (pictured left), into the LOL generator to create a new RNC-themed meme, LOL Riot Police. Instructions on how to make your own LOL RNC Riot Cops and more pics inside!

Minneapolis mayor announces plans to review RNC law enforcement

UPDATED Mayor R.T. Rybak announced this afternoon that Minneapolis would conduct a series of reviews into the Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) actions in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention, including a standard “after-action report” that will look into related security measures and the development of new policies for dealing with the media. A city council member who has urged a blue-ribbon, multi-jurisdictional review said the mayor’s statement was “good” but appeared to fall short of “a public, independent, transparent process.”

City Hall Monitor: RNC cop costs, make-believe workers, and 4 wheels eat 4 less

In this installment of City Hall Monitor: Minneapolis banks on Justice’s eyes being blind, but not glazing over like FEMA’s; an audit says it may be fictional but, hey, it’s a job; officials take an hour deciding whether to let people speak on NRP financing; and Porky’s resorts to discounts to drum up business at its hard-won, zoning-code-busting drive-thru window.

St. Paul taps two to review RNC cops — but not misconduct

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman announced late Tuesday afternoon that the city will undergo an outside review of the public safety effort tied to the Republican National Convention — but its limited scope may not satisfy calls from various quarters for independent review of police misconduct.

‘We are numb to war’: Brother of young woman arrested in preemptive raids speaks out

Police would like to to paint 23-year-old Monica Bicking, whose home was raided on Saturday, August 30, as part of a preemptive strike against RNC protesters, as a “terrorist.” But her brother, Ian Bicking, has come out to speak in support of his sister, whom he says was arrested in an attempt to preemptively suppress the protests at the Republican National Convention.

Minneapolis council members call for investigation of RNC policing

Minneapolis City Council Members Gary Schiff and Cam Gordon issued a call this afternoon for an independent investigation of police actions during the Republican National Convention (RNC). Read their full statement below the jump.
Today’s call follows two earlier statements on RNC policing from city council corridors in Minneapolis and St. Paul. On Tuesday, Gordon and [...]

Minneapolis Police Chief on Rage concert: ‘basically uneventful’

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan expressed relief at the lack of violence associated with last night’s Rage Against the Machine concert. Despite more than 100 arrests, Dolan said the situation had the potential to be explosive given the intersection of delegates and protesters.