discoursology

A double move. On the one hand, the country widely lauded for protecting free speech and democracy is arresting and manhandling journalists, bloggers and videomakers — at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minessota. On the other hand, that same country has one of the most active, well-developed and co-ordinated network of activists ready to stand up and do something about it. Even if the mainstream media are largely ignoring the issue.

Within 24 hours, over 35,000 people signed freepress.net’s letter

to demand that press intimidation cease immediately and that all charges against the media workers be dropped.

They’re now looking to reach 50,000 signatures.

Amy Goodman – host of Democracy Now! – and other journalists and photographers were arrested in St. Paul yesterday, as they were covering protests at the (US) Republican National Convention. (Update: seems Goodman and Democracy Now! producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar have been released)
FreePress has a form you can fill in to ‘demand that press intimidation cease immediately and that all charges be dropped’. Your message will be delivered from the freepress website to:

• St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman
• Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner
• St. Paul City Attorney John Choi
• Host Committee of the Republican National Convention

Freepress.net suggests this text:

Dear [Decision Maker],

I strongly condemn the arrests and harassment of journalists covering the Republican National Convention. We call upon St. Paul officials to free all detained journalists and drop all charges against them. These include arrests made during police raids in the days prior to the convention and, on Sept 1, of Associated Press photographer Matt Rourke, Democracy Now! anchor Amy Goodman and her two colleagues Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar.

Independent journalists have been targeted, pepper-sprayed and held at gunpoint during these raids. We call on the mayor and local authorities to rein in these aggressive and violent tactics.

Arresting and detaining journalists for doing their jobs is a gross violation of free speech and freedom of the press. Journalists must be free to do their jobs without intimidation.