Lawyers for the RNC 8 reportedly received a letter today from the Ramsey County Attorney's office amending the complaint against them. The new complaint reportedly lists the charges as follows:

Count 1 - conspiracy to riot in the second degree in furtherance of terrorism (the original charge)
Count 2 - conspiracy to riot in the second degree (without terrorism enhancement)
Count 3 - conspiracy to damage property in furtherance of terrorism
Count 4 - conspiracy to damage property (without terrorism enhancement)

The timing of the additional charges from Ramsey County is unique, coming on the heels of a successful court solidarity action on Friday and upcoming call-in days to Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner. Ramsey County prosecutor Richard Dusterhoft also recently sent a letter threatening more charges to the lawyer for Dave Mahoney.READ MORE

RELATED: Preparing for the worst: The coming Heffelfinger/Luger report on RNC policing | First RNC Felony Sentence: Probation - Victory for Court Solidarity | DEMAND CONTINUANCE FOR NOAH JACOBS

[TCIMC note 12/14 5PM: We have heard a rumor the Heffelfinger/Luger RNC Public Safety Review Commission may fail to release their report on Monday, Dec. 15 as mandated. Plz send more RNC-related materials into TC Indymedia & RNC '08 Report.]

Just a few days after the RNC dust settled, it was announced that the City of St. Paul hired former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger and former assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Luger to review police plans and how they were carried out during the Republican National Convention.

What became immediately clear was that the independent review would not be a fact-finding mission to explore allegations of police wrongdoing or violations of people's rights but a look at the City's security plan, how it was implemented, and whether it reflected what Heffelfinger described as "best practices" (Star Tribune, September 9th, 2008).

read more

No jail for Joe! Joe Robinson was sentenced this morning on felony first degree property damage stemming from slashed delegate bus tires during the RNC. The judge rejected nearly all the prosecutor's wishes, sentencing Robinson instead to three years probation, a $100 fine and 100 hours of community service in an organization of his choice. The standing-room only courtroom was packed with about 50 friends and supporters, who all stood when Robinson's name was called. Judge Salvador Rosas - soon to become the judge for the RNC 8 - mentioned the action favorably before delivering the sentence, calling it "Gandhi-like." read more

Three felony cases, including the first felony sentencing, are on the docket at in St. Paul this Friday. Supporters plan to pack the courtroom! Check TC Indymedia on Friday afternoon for a report back, and check the Upcoming Events for other RNC solidarity events this weekend and next week.

Editorial note: Noah Jacobs in previous stories has been known as Noah Balloon. These are the same person. Learn about the horrific police brutality that took place at the Republican National Convention. Support Noah and demand accountability for the fascist actions of these goons.

Rogue Valley activist is called to St. Paul, Minnesota for jury trial on week from today, on December 15th. Due to circumstances beyond his control, he cannot attend this court date. He has appealed to the court for continuance of his trial, only to be denied it for petty political reasons. He is requesting that you call some of the bigwigs in the Twin Cities and demand continuance!

Start: 12/12/2008 - 08:15

In an effort to pack the courtroom for Joe Robinson's sentencing on Friday, we've organized a carpool leaving from Minneapolis. To get or offer a ride to the courthouse in downtown St. Paul, be at (corner of 22nd Ave and Franklin Ave) at 8:15am on Friday!

See info about the three felony cases, two being heard at 9am on Friday, here:
http://twincities.indymedia.org/2008/dec/rnc-courtwatch-friday-3-felony-...

More info on felony support:
http://rnc08arrestees.wordpress.com/arrestees/felony-info-and-support/

Last night's rally and dance party outside RNC felony prosecutor Susan Gaertner's gubernatorial fundraiser in downtown Minneapolis was a smashing success from the perspective of protest organizers. At 4:00, the RNC 8 held a press conference satirically endorsing Gaertner's run for Governor, and presenting a giant check for "Eight dollars and zero sense." Soon thereafter a banner was dropped from a nearby parking ramp, and the crowd for the CRASS-organized rally swelled to about 100. A large police presence of nearly two dozen MPD officers with a booking van and flexicuffs was also on the scene, but the crowd avoided arrests and ended the party at about 6:30, chanting "We'll be back!"

Meanwhile, the number of cases dismissed by St. Paul City Attorney John Choi this week is at 30 according to CRASS, all but three of which were scheduled for trial on December 15. Many of the cases are from the Shepherd Road and 7th/Jackson parking lot mass arrests. A minimum of 63 misdemeanor/gross misdemeanor cases have now been dismissed and a dozen others declined for prosecution.

Press Statement from the RNC 8 | CRASS | Petition to Susan Gaertner: Drop the Charges | (did you take photos or videos of the rally? publish or link to them on TC Indymedia and we'll add them here!) read more

An initial review of Ramsey County court cases scheduled for today shows 25 misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor cases formally dismissed! Stemming primarily from the mass arrests on September 1, this dismissal of charges comes after a similar dismissal of up to two dozen cases two weeks ago.

As we find more information about the latest batch of bogus charges, we'll post it here. read more

If you have not yet seen "The end of the world as we know it", you are in for a video adventure. You won’t want to miss the chance for a look behind the boxes with the Stim.

Sponsored by Rochester Indymedia Frank Lopez the mastermind, writer and editor of this "better than vegan chocolate" and "awesome is an understatement" video montage production is on a limited tour in the US. He will show highlights of his program and talk about his new collaborative documentary, "Ground Noise and Static," a video report from both the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
.
"Submedia tackles a range of subjects from environmentalists being attacked by paid counter protesters in British Columbia, to the torching of some "McMansoions" near Seattle, to issues of media activists signing big book contracts. The Stimulator looks at the world with a sharp tongue and sharper perspective."

Happy Birthday, Drop the Charges! Dance against the State!

On Tuesday, December 2nd, Susan Gaertner is holding a ritzy fundraiser for her 2010 DFL campaign for governor. It also happens to be her birthday. As the lead prosecutor for the 18 felony cases which stem from the RNC, including the cases of the RNC 8 (rnc8.org) and Dave Mahoney (helpdavemahoney.blogspot.com), let's remind her of the political repercussions of trying these phony cases! If Susan Gaertner wants to continue carrying out this prosecution, we'll ruin her campaign for governor.

And most importantly, we're still here and still fighting, even after many of us experienced intense state repression in such a firsthand way at the RNC. Let's continue having fun and keep our spirits high, while not forgetting what brought us here in the first place. We've been keeping solidarity going in the courts--lets carry it into the streets again and shake off the legal system's icy grip on our community and the winter cold outta our booties!

A rally and dance party has been planned outside her fundraiser, starting at 4:30 on Tuesday, December 2nd. If you want the charges dropped for the 18 folks facing felonies, make it known to Susan and all her potential supporters that her political endeavors will never succeed with her prosecution of of RNC arrestees on her record.

Come to the gates of the Minneapolis Club at the corner of 2nd Ave and 8th St in downtown Minneapolis at 4:30PM, TUESDAY DECEMBER 2 dressed warmly and ready to get down. Bring signs, noisemakers, and your loudest and dancing-est friends!

Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure: RNCaftermath.org | read more

oin Houston Indymedia and participants in the Tejas Bloc at 7pm on December 6th at Rice Cinema [map] for the film Ground Noise and Static and hear from Houstonians who protested in the streets of St. Paul. This documentary, by subMedia TV and PepperSpray Productions, is a 30 minute video report on the demonstrations that were held outside the Republican and Democratic National Conventions... Read More

Denver CopWatch was in the streets throughout the Democratic National Convention and we are expecting a great deal of footage and documentation of police activity, especially the brutality that occurred on Monday evening. read more & VIDEO

This documentary, by subMedia TV and PepperSpray Productions, is a 30 minute video report on the demonstrations that were held outside the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. The filmmakers went there not to report on either party's convention, but to cover the creative actions that were taking place outside which the corporate media would all but ignore. The film contains from-the-streets footage capturing protests from both conventions, and arrests made at the RNC. "Don't be diverted by the ground noise and static..." is the phrase John McCain used to dismiss the protesters who shouted out during his acceptance speech.

This Tuesday, several RNC-related misdemeanor cases were dismissed by the St. Paul City Attorney's office. The dismissed charges were pursuant to an earlier court order that gave the city a deadline of November 17 to share evidence, including video footage, with the defense for at least 22 cases, many stemming from the Shepherd Road and 7th/Jackson mass arrests on September 1. The city failed to meet the deadline. All the cases had trial dates of December 15. read more | related: Statement From the Subpoenaed Texans: RNC Grand Jury called off

Start: 11/22/2008 - 22:00

What: A fundraiser for RNC arrestees
When: Saturday, November 22nd, 10pm
Where: Bedlam Theatre, 1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis
Who: YOU + The Usual Suspects, Toki Wright, Jason Anxious, and the Nancy Drew Crew

18+, $5-10 suggested donation.
The Bedlam Theatre is located next to the Cedar-Riverside light rail station on the West Bank.

read more

In early October, six activists from Texas were subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Minneapolis in relation to the protests during the Republican National Convention in September. The subpoenas were part of a much larger campaign of repression and intimidation against people organizing against the RNC that included raids, vehicle seizures, arbitrary detentions at gun point, infiltrators, and more. The last couple months have been an emotional roller coaster for us, as we dealt with the uncertainty of our situation and the constant level of stress we all felt. But today we can declare victory: in the past week, all six of us have had our grand jury subpoenas canceled, without ever saying a word to the Feds!

The State's elaborately staged legal farces are really spinning into full gear this week:

* At the Federal Courthouse in downtown Minneapolis (300 S. 4th St.), the great federal Grand Jury Fishing Expedition is whirling into gear, and a 'People's Fishing Expedition" demo is planned for 8:30 AM Monday morning.

* Last week, CRASS, the Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure held a press conference to publicize how the City of St. Paul has refused to release the 6,000 hours of surveillance footage to defense attorneys [...]

* Help Dave Mahoney: The authorities are scapegoating Dave Mahoney (saying he is a literally a Terrorizing Finger Pointer - not to be confused with the famed Terrorist Fist Jab). It's all part of their PR strategy. Defeat the propaganda. TC Indymedia's added a button to his site....

Glass Bead Collective, Twin Cities Indymedia, and other independent media activists have released a new film, 'Terrorizing Dissent', an exposé of events at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Featuring first-person accounts and footage from more than forty cameras on the streets, 'Terrorizing Dissent' focuses on the story of dissent suppressed. People charged with "conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism" speak out against the government's campaign to manipulate media coverage and label civil disobedience and community organizing as terrorism. There will be a screening of Terrorizing Dissent at the Lucy Parsons Center on December 5th at 7 PM. The LPC is located at 549 Columbus Ave. Boston, MA

At a press conference Thursday at the State Capitol, a diverse group of concerned citizens expressed outrage at the efforts of St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington and Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher to portray violence at the Republican National Convention as protester-led. Videos and photographs revealed at the Capitol were just some of numerous sources showing that the overwhelming majority of confrontations were a direct result of police over-reach and brutality. CRASS Press Release | Coverage in Twin Cities Daily Planet | Read more for photos

Last week, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington and Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher requested assistance in locating victims and suspects of RNC-related violence. We, as concerned citizens, echo their call for public participation in this pursuit of justice.

What: Press conference to present and collect evidence of RNC violence
When: Thursday, November 13 at 12:30pm
Where: State Capitol, Rm. 125
Who: Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure (CRASS)

Throughout the RNC, unidentified individuals terrorized hundreds of activists, journalists, medics, legal observers and bystanders. The perpetrators of these brutal assaults were heavily armed, masked and generally dressed in black. At Thursday's State Capitol press conference, videos and photographs will be revealed documenting these assaults in hopes of locating the victims and holding perpetrators accountable. CRASS calls on the public and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis to come forward with any evidence or information leading to the identification of individuals involved.