On May 16, Duluth Democratic-Farmer-Labor party delegates passed two resolutions related to law enforcement actions during the 2008 Republican National Convention in St Paul. The first echoes Amnesty International's call for an independent investigation into charges of police violence and civil liberties violations - a demand that has been widely ignored by the DFL establishment in St Paul and Minneapolis. The second resolution asks DFL gubernatorial hopeful and current Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner to drop charges against the RNC 8, a group of anarchist organizers who were swept up in pre-protest police raids and charged with conspiracy to riot and "furthering terrorism."Below are the two DFL resolutions.
Resolution for Investigations of Civil Rights Abuses During the RNC
Whereas tens of thousands of Minnesotans were inspired by the war in Iraq and other disastrous policies of the Bush Administration to take part in protests against the Republican National Convention (RNC) when it was held in St Paul on September 1-4, 2008; and
Whereas the RNC was designated a “National Security Event” by the Department of Homeland Security, leading to the heavy influence of Bush-era federal agencies in RNC-related law-enforcement operations; and
Whereas human rights, civil liberties and press freedom organizations have raised serious accusations, supported by video evidence, of excessive police force and civil rights violations against participants in RNC-related protests, including but not limited to: raids on activist homes and confiscation of political literature; surveillance and infiltration of activist groups; the offensive use of chemical irritants, impact rounds, batons, tasers and rubber bullets; mass arrests of activists and passersby; and the detention and harassment of journalists covering the protests; and
Whereas in September of 2008, Amnesty International called for “city and county authorities to ensure that all allegations of ill-treatment and other abuses are impartially investigated, with a review of police tactics and weapons in the policing of demonstrations”; and
Whereas investigations into RNC-related police actions to date have been limited to internal police department reviews and an RNC Commission Report headed by two former prosecutors who interviewed a total of forty law enforcement agents and one activist;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Duluth DFL strongly reaffirms the first amendment rights of all Americans to freely assemble, speak and petition their government for redress; and
Be it further resolved that the Duluth DFL demands a thorough and impartial investigation into accusations of police violence and civil rights abuses against activists during the Republican National Convention in St Paul; for the findings of this investigation to be made public; for responsible parties to be disciplined; and for measures to be put in place to ensure that future police operations in Minnesota respect our constitutionally-guaranteed rights to assembly, speech, and a free press.
Passed by the City of Duluth DFL, in Convention, May 16, 2009, voice vote, one and only one dissenting vote.
Resolution In Support of the RNC 8
and Against The Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act
and Against The Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act
Whereas, in the days leading up to the Republican National Convention (RNC) in St Paul, local and federal law enforcement agencies carried out a series of raids on activist centers and the private homes of RNC protest organizers, seizing political literature, mobile phones and computers and detaining over one hundred people; and
Whereas, the raids resulted in the arrest of several protest organizers; and
Whereas, on September 3, 2008, Ramsey County prosecutors formally charged Luce Guillen-Givins, Max Specktor, Nathanael Secor, Eryn Trimmer, Monica Bicking, Erik Oseland, Robert Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald with CONPIRACY TO COMMIT RIOT IN FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM, without evidence that the eight young activists committed any act of violence; and
Whereas, changes to the Minnesota criminal code under the so-called Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002 threaten free speech and the right to organize by defining acts that “further terrorism” so broadly as to include actions that “disrupt or interfere with the lawful exercise, operation, or conduct of government, lawful commerce, or the right of lawful assembly”; and
Whereas, in December of 2008, Ramsey County prosecutors amended the complaint against the eight activists with three additional felony counts of CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT RIOT, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, and CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY IN FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM; and
Whereas, Ramsey County prosecutors and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s office have consistently and publicly linked civil disobedience with terrorism and violence; and
Whereas, conspiracy charges and the conflation of dissent to violence have historically been used to undermine social movements, and particular the labor movement; and
Whereas, delegates to the Duluth Central Labor Body, recognizing the threat posed by these prosecutions to the right to organize, unanimously approved a resolution on March 12, 2009 condemning the Minnesota Anti-Terrorism Act and the prosecution of the RNC 8; and
Whereas, on April 9 of this year Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner responded to pressure from the DCLB and others by dropping terrorism-related charges against the RNC 8, but is moving forward with prosecution under the two remaining felony conspiracy counts;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Duluth DFL affirms the right to organize collectively and calls on Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner to dismiss all charges against Luce Guillen-Givins, Max Specktor, Nathanael Secor, Eryn Trimmer, Monica Bicking, Erik Oseland, Robert Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald; and
Be it further resolved that the Duluth DFL goes on record as opposing 609.714 of the Minnesota criminal code (“CRIMES COMMITTED IN FURTHERANCE OF TERRORISM”) as a threat to free speech and the right to organize, and calls on Minnesota state legislators to repeal this law with haste.
Passed by the City of Duluth DFL, in Convention, May 16, 2009, voice vote, one and only one dissenting vote.
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