OpEd: St. Paul: RNC: Intimidation, Harassment of Media Effective

There was no press coverage to speak of yesterday at the marches in St. Paul, Mn.. The preemptive strikes by police on "out of town videographers" that included seizing equipment, computers as well as personal items was effective in sending the message that video coverage of the event was not desired.

The registered protest groups were never the concern as I see it. These groups marched as scheduled, some with police escort front and back, some down Summit Ave to the Capitol, and the scene was colorful, but orderly.

The concern was always the anarchists---who did not register with anyone and were intent on harming. These folks were arrested, and were about 50 of the 10,000.

The Observer has not developed an immunity to tear gas. Hence I took a view from afar and tried to capture the larger view. I was about to talk to some police at 7th and Waucota, but they were involved with searching a van and interrogating some suspects and thought otherwise. Yes. I did switch to the Minnesota Gopher hat at the border, but still did not feel safe with the video campera trained on the marchers. The intimidation worked. The "news" became the weather. Stay tuned. This is the Evansville Observer.