Minnesota Lawyer Blog

We've written about RNC protests from the morning-after "riot court" perspective, but what about as-it-happens? Are the people as stupid, and the police as nasty, as many would have us believe? And what's with the bandanas?

I don't know — I'm not brave enough to find out. But thankfully, others in the media are.

A good reporter friend of mine was at the Target Center last night to stand vigil outside the Rage Against the Machine show. There were lots of RNC protesters. There were lots of cops. There were lots of arrests.

But here's a view from the inside, told first-person on his blog:

Oh. Man.

I almost got arrested tonight while on assignment covering RNC-related protestors. I had to kneel in the middle of the street with my hands on my head and a pepper spray gun trained pretty much directly on me. I then had to beg my way out of a mass arrest that netted 30 others. I'm glad I didn't have to spend the night in jail, but it all worked out swimmingly given that I have such a beautiful and trustworthy smile... :)

The whole entertaining story is here, at the From Minneapolis Media Dude, With Love blog.

A group of protesters march through downtown Minneapolis after a Rage Against the Machine concert during the Republican National Convention on Sept. 3, 2008. (Associated Press/Matt Rourke)