Police had good reason for raids

h/t to someone;

In the Dissident Voice, Ashley Smith writes about his mistreatment at the hands of Minnesota Law Enforcement Officers;

…police also targeted guests and participants in the Veterans for Peace/Iraq Veterans Against the War conventions held at the Ramada Mall of America outside the Twin Cities.

Near the conclusion of the conference, police tailed a carload of convention participants returning to the Ramada. “Police followed us for about 15 or so miles all the way to the Ramada and then detained us in our car for close to half an hour,” explained VFP associate member Ashley Smith. “They jumped out of their vehicle, surrounded our car, and demanded our ID’s for no justifiable reason.”

Now why would police do that? Well, let’s look at the TwinCities.com;

A year ago, the Ramsey County sheriff’s office began looking closely at a group called the Republican National Convention Welcoming Committee.

What it found, according to an 18-page search warrant application and affidavit, led to weekend raids on two Minneapolis homes and a temporary St. Paul office for the self-described anarchist group.

According to the document, investigation learned:

# The self-described anarchist group — whose main goal was to “crash” the Republican National Convention,” according to its Web site — traveled to or communicated with affinity groups in 67 cities to recruit members and raise money.

# Group members discussed the possibility of kidnapping delegates, blockading bridges, using liquid sprayers filled with urine or chemicals on police and throwing marbles to trip police and their horses.

# At an “action camp” held from July 31 to Aug. 3 in Lake Geneva, Minn., one member talked of concealing inside giant puppets “materials” that could be used on the street. Others discussed the need for Molotov cocktails, paint, caltrops (devices used to puncture tires), bricks and lockboxes for protesters to lock themselves together.

# Erik Oseland, one of the six group members arrested here, produced a video called “Video Map of the St. Paul Points of Interest.” It included such major companies as Travelers Insurance and Qwest, hotels such as the Embassy Suites and the Crowne Plaza. Also included: the Pioneer

The main sources for the information were “regular surveillance” of the group and three people who posed as members — two informants and an undercover investigator. The informants monitored e-mails and conversations.

So I guess the police were looking for suspicious people who had planned on injuring police and delegates, hell, KIDNAPPING delegates. And who is Ashley Smith? Well aside from being a member of the Veterans For Peace, he’s also the Northeast Regional Coordinator for International Socialist Organization. He’s also on the editorial board of the Socialist Worker and International Socialist Review.

So I guess the police knew who they were stopping, didn’t they?

Here he is at a conference called “Socialism for the 21st century” talking about how to end the Iraq War.

That’s the face of the IVAW, VVAW and VFP, folks. If you think all they want to do is end the war in Iraq and get veterans benefits for the returning troops, you’re sadly mistaken.

Category: Politics