RNC 2008: Confrontation At Mears Park, September 2

Photos By John Hoff, September 2, reverse chronological order from top

Needlessly and pointlessly throwing their weight around, St. Paul police snatched a couple people from Mears Park during the Poor People's Rally, charging them with third degree minor bullsh** and...

...conspiracy to commit second degree petty b.s.

This produced a messy, tense confrontation between keyed up protesters and paranoid St. Paul police. Media was right in the middle of the swirling mess...SO MUCH MEDIA, including the van of a television crew, which had a spectacular view from the rooftop of their vehicle. What finally changed the game was the beginning of the poor people's march leaving the park, causing almost everybody to break away and giving police an opportunity to leave with their prisoners.

I caught this mess on video. Click here. And also here.