The Republican National Convention is coming to Minneapolis in early September, and the usual suspects are already amping up the anti-free-speech rhetoric. Since I’m here and somewhat involved in preparing for the festivities, I’ll probably be posting more on this in the coming weeks.
Right out the gate, though, there are a lot of troubling things going on. Attempted FBI infiltrations of that most nefarious gathering, the vegan potluck, for one. And more recently, an action on the part of the Minneapolis City Council to re-allow the use of rubber bullets; the confiscation and destruction of cameras and film; the targeted harassment of journalists, legal observers, organizers and leaders; the compiling of files on activists; and the intentional delay of medical assistance. All of these were prohibited by a set of regulations passed by the Council in 2000, in the wake of police brutality during the International Society for Animal Genetics protests. Yet, roughly two months before the RNC, they are back on the table.
An amendment by Cam Gordon to reinstate these protections will be offered at a July 16 committee hearing. You can find the members of the committee here, and contact information for the full council here; if you live in the city, give them a call.
