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Six weeks from now we’ll know the number, or at least be disputing it: How many protesters will the Republican National Convention draw to St. Paul? MnIndy asked the St. Paul Police Department, the American Civil Liberties Union-Minnesota, the leading protest group and the U.S. Secret Service. Turns out, it’s a simple question with one uneasy answer—or no answer at all.
Doug Michel, organizer, Coalition to March against the RNC and End the War:
"We’re sure about that: at least 50,000, just for the first [of September]. It’s the easiest day for folks to travel."
Charles Samuelson, director, ACLU-MN:
"We think it will be 50,000 to 100,000. The largest demonstration in state history was the immigrants’ rights rally on Lake Street a few years ago: 35,000. There were 30,000 on University Avenue in 1970 after Kent State. For the Coalition march on Labor Day — a holiday — there will be 100,000 college students in residence within 20 miles."
Tom Walsh, spokesperson, St. Paul Police Department:
"We have no idea. The Coalition says there will be 50,000 on Sept. 1. We have to take them at their word. Does it make a difference if it’s 50,000 or 100,000? Not really."
U.S. Secret Service:
[We're waiting to hear back from several messages left for the Secret Service's spokesperson about their estimate for the number of protesters. Unless... it's a secret.]
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2 Comments »
Comment posted July 18, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
I have completely lost count of how many national level protests I have attended over the years, from civil rights (like Selma) and Vietnam stuff in the 60’s, to Iraq and Iran things more recently. Every single one has had strange games played with the numbers, with the mainstream media regularly quoting the authorities while giving numbers at a fraction of what the organizers say. Presidents would pointedly leave town when protests were occurring right outside their windows and, when asked, respond something like, “Protest, what protest?”
The thing is, our wonderful government has thousands of people to count every last protester from the satellite photos. Nowadays they actually know who many of us are. They just don’t want us to know about how many people oppose our governments bloodthirsty policies. They don’t want protesters to sense the power of their own numbers.
But watch what they do. They have these little drones the size of dragonflies now, just to fly around and take pictures and record our voices. (Check out the DARPA contracts if you don’t believe me.) They have new weapons that shoot incapacitating sound or heat at protesters. And, of course, they have the old familiar standby weapons of tasers, tear gas, pepper spray and (when things get boring for the cops) batons. They have dedicated $50 million dollars to RNC security, about half of which will be spent on weapons against U.S. citizens and about half of which will be spent on the overtime for those who will use them. They have no-fly zones and big fenced holding pens and 24-hour judges for processing us. They have the helicopters to patrol the rails and the squad cars to close down all the freeways.
They know how many of us there are. They just don’t want us to know.
Comment posted July 18, 2008 @ 8:32 am
I have completely lost count of how many national level protests I have attended over the years, from civil rights (like Selma) and Vietnam stuff in the 60's, to Iraq and Iran things more recently. Every single one has had strange games played with the numbers, with the mainstream media regularly quoting the authorities while giving numbers at a fraction of what the organizers say. Presidents would pointedly leave town when protests were occurring right outside their windows and, when asked, respond something like, “Protest, what protest?”
The thing is, our wonderful government has thousands of people to count every last protester from the satellite photos. Nowadays they actually know who many of us are. They just don't want us to know about how many people oppose our governments bloodthirsty policies. They don't want protesters to sense the power of their own numbers.
But watch what they do. They have these little drones the size of dragonflies now, just to fly around and take pictures and record our voices. (Check out the DARPA contracts if you don't believe me.) They have new weapons that shoot incapacitating sound or heat at protesters. And, of course, they have the old familiar standby weapons of tasers, tear gas, pepper spray and (when things get boring for the cops) batons. They have dedicated $50 million dollars to RNC security, about half of which will be spent on weapons against U.S. citizens and about half of which will be spent on the overtime for those who will use them. They have no-fly zones and big fenced holding pens and 24-hour judges for processing us. They have the helicopters to patrol the rails and the squad cars to close down all the freeways.
They know how many of us there are. They just don't want us to know.
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