September 5, 2008 - Now for the view on the other side of the tear gas. Earlier this afternoon, I talked with St. Paul police Chief John Harrington about how his officers handled the Republican Convention and the protests that came along with it.
September 5, 2008 - During this week's protests, it often seemed that police had one story about what happened and protesters had another. But many of the protests had independent observers: journalists, who sometimes got caught in the tear gas and even the arrests. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Caputo was rounded up at one point earlier this week. He finds that he remembers things differently from police.
September 5, 2008 - Some protesters say police used excessive force when they stopped a march near the state capitol yesterday.
September 6, 2008 - Some protesters say police used excessive force when they stopped a march near the state capitol yesterday.
September 9, 2008 - About 10 to 20 people have attempted to file complaints with the internal affairs unit of the St. Paul Police Department about police procedures related to the Republican National Convention.
September 10, 2008 - Two former federal prosecutors will review the operations of St. Paul police during last week's Republican National Convention. The City of St. Paul has hired Tom Heffelfinger and Andrew Luger to conduct an outside assessment of law enforcement during the R-N-C. Critics complain that police were heavy handed in dealing with demonstrators. Law enforcement say they were responding appropriately to unrest, particularly after rioters smashed building windows in downtown St. Paul. Tom Heffefinger served as U.S. Attorney for Minnesota under both Bush administrations, and is now an attorney in private practice.
September 17, 2008 - This afternoon, members of the Minneapolis city council will direct the police department to compile a report on its performance during the RNC. Council members will likely want to know if Minneapolis police officers followed city policies, even when they worked in St. Paul. Before the RNC, council members passed a resolution to clarify that police officers' presence at demonstrations would be based on a need for public safety, not to curb First Amendment rights. Council member Gary Schiff says there's evidence city policies were broken.
September 17, 2008 - A Minneapolis city council committee has voted down a measure that would have allowed council members to influence the scope of a report on police conduct during the RNC. The police department is working on a so-called 'after action report' that will include how city cops performed during major events which happened in Minneapolis during the convention. Council member Cam Gordon offered to expand the report to include a series of police raids which happened before the RNC - one of which occurred at a house in his ward.
September 18, 2008 - A Minneapolis city council committee has voted down a measure that would have allowed council members to influence the scope of a report on police conduct during the RNC. The police department is working on a so-called 'after action report' that will include how city cops performed during major events which happened in Minneapolis during the convention. Council member Cam Gordon offered to expand the report to include a series of police raids which happened before the RNC - one of which occurred at a house in his ward.
September 25, 2008 - It's been three weeks since the Republican National Convention ended, and tensions are still running high in St. Paul. More than 150 people packed the City Council chambers last night at a community hearing organized by City Council member Dave Thune. Residents and peace activists described their frustrations with the police and security restrictions. Many demanded that authorities drop all charges against the protesters.