Journalist Amy Goodman speaks in St. Paul

"Reporters are the eyes and eyes. They are what protects democracy. When those eyes are shut, when the ears are closed, democracy is threatened, and that's what they do when they arrest journalists." -- Pacifica Radio report.

Goodman's show tells the story.

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. ...

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.

She was not supposed to do that, not supposed to let us know what goes on in the streets while the oligarchs party.

I'm frequently critical of street demonstrations as unimaginative and unfocused. But we should all be far more critical of "policing" that amounts to violent repression of unpopular opinions.