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Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman Arrested at RNC

From the Huffington Post

ST. PAUL–Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have all been released from police custody in St. Paul following their illegal arrest by Minneapolis Police on Monday afternoon.

All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.

On Tuesday, Democracy Now! will broadcast video of these arrests, as well as the broader police action. These will also be available on: http://www.democracynow.org

Goodman was arrested while questioning police about the unlawful detention of Kouddous and Salazar who were arrested while they carried out their journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican National Convention. Goodman’s crime appears to have been defending her colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were arrested on suspicion of rioting, a felony. While the three have been released, they all still face charges stemming from their unlawful arrest. Kouddous and Salazar face pending charges of suspicion of felony riot, while Goodman has been officially charged with obstruction of a legal process and interference with a “peace officer.”

Democracy Now! forcefully rejects all of these charges as false and an attempt at intimidation of these journalists. We demand that the charges be immediately and completely dropped.

Democracy Now! stands by Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and condemns this action by Twin Cities’ law enforcement as a clear violation of the freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of these journalists.

During the demonstration in which the Democracy Now! team was arrested, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were also arrested during this action, including a photographer for the Associated Press.

Amy Goodman is one of the most well-known and well-respected journalists in the United States. She has received journalism’s top honors for her reporting and has a distinguished reputation of bravery and courage. The arrest of Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar and the subsequent criminal charges and threat of charges are a transparent attempt to intimidate journalists.

Democracy Now! is a nationally-syndicated public TV and radio program that airs on over 700 radio and TV stations across the US and the globe.

Gustav updates: DIY data, RNC recycled, energy infrastructure, rehabbing wetlands

From BoingBoing

Posted by Xeni Jardin, September 1, 2008 10:32 AM | permalink

Image: a work created by Banksy in New Orleans last week, photographed by Jonno.

Image: a work created by Banksy in New Orleans last week, photographed by Jonno.

(1) Jim Graham wipes the playa dust off his keyboard and types,

John Graham (no relation) has created .kml and .kmz files integrating satellite imagery of Gustaz, updating every 15 minutes. Files are available at: (one) (two)

(2) Jeff Masters at Weather Underground blogs:

The main concern from Gustav is the storm surge. NHC is still predicting a 10-14 foot storm surge along the east side of New Orleans (Figure 2). This storm surge is characteristic of a Category 3 hurricane, providing a significant test of New Orleans’ rebuilt levee system. Recent tide gauge readings from the east side of New Orleans show that a storm surge in excess of 7 feet has already occurred in Lake Borgne (Figure 1).

(3) BB reader Quincy Webster points us to an infographic modeling estimated Gustav damage to energy infrastructure in the Gulf. “Graphic below is damage models based on LBAR hurricane forecast track, key is below. Numerical damage estimates are below the fold for oil and natural gas shut-in and damage.”

(4) DHunter says,

This pachube url has a little google map showing the current reported location of the hurricane and its wind speed and pressure (and, if you’re prone to making things electronic, via Pachube also the data that can be used with Arduinos to make a remote monitor, device, whatever; or embed the 24hour windspeed graph in webpages).

(5) Video: John McCain pops a lulz on FEMA, Katrina, and Arabian Horses, back in 2005. (via Siege)

(6) In the New York Times, a profile of Mark Schleifstein, the 24-year veteran of NOLA’s Times-Picayune , known as “the man who predicted the flood.” He believes restoring natural wetlands and indigenous ecosystems in the Gulf region is the only way to prevent recurring catastrophic damage.

“If the federal government ever awakens to the disastrous consequences of inaction on that front — the importance of coastal restoration and the rebuilding of barrier islands — Mark will deserve much of the credit,” [Times-Picayune editor Jim] Amoss said. In the aftermath of Katrina, Mr. Schleifstein and a team of reporters investigated the failure of the levees surrounding New Orleans. He also reported on the rebuilding of the levee system and the efforts to replenish the area’s wetlands and coastlines. His most recent series, “Last Chance,” published in March 2007, outlined why scientists believe the next decade is crucial to the wetlands restoration process.

Here is Shleifstein’s blog at the Times-Picayune — he’s been posting items daily over the last few days.

(7) Here are two frequently-updated Twitter feeds from folks on the ground on NOLA: @raynola = Ray Shea, and @gustavreporter, Chicago Tribune reporters who are there to cover the storm and its aftermath. (thanks @unapologetic)

(8) The New Orleans metbloggers are at it again today, with posts about “staying in town, CNN panic and levees getting topped.”

Harry Reid : Why I nominate Barack Obama