Update: To try to make sure this gets the coverage it deserves, go here.
Amy Goodman is a well-know commentator and activist, who hosts Democracy Now!, the United States’ leading independent news program. And she’s out of jail now. But she questioned the police about their arresting others from Democarcy Now!, and that was enough, apparently. At least, no one seems to have come up with a convincing story about her breaking the law.
The video is disturbing. After it, a quote from the Democracy Now site:
Amy Goodman & Two Democracy Now! Producers Arrested at RNC Protest
More than 280 people were arrested here in St. Paul Monday, the opening day of the Republican National Convention. Among them were several journalists covering the protests in the streets, including three of us at Democracy Now! Amy was detained trying to question police officers about the arrests of Democracy Now! producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar
UPDATE: The arrests were described on Tuesday’s program, a podcast and transcript of which should be available at the site linked to above. The police actions were arbitrary and lawless. Police refused to identify themselves, people asking appropriate questions were told to shut up, complaints about painfully tight plastic handcuffs resulted in tighter handcuffs, press passes were riped off reporters and receipts refused. The press appeared to have been targeted. Such actions are obviously a threat to democracy and the citizens’ right to know what is going on.
Feminist Philosophers 
This is so extremely upsetting. It had to be done with the permission of people at the state government level’s knowledge (or higher) .
I did not see much national media coverage of this and it is really reminiscent of the 60’s when this happened so routinely.
Very scary stuff. It’s obvious that this woman was doing nothing to deserve this. I hope enough people care to look into this.
If you look at the video, you see a line of police and the police are telling people do not cross the line. Amy Goodman crosses the line on purpose. It is obvious that she did that to get arrested as a (very successful) publicity stunt.
John, I think you should at least consider her story. Since her producers were already arrested, and since her work is just about never reported in the mainstream press, it is hard to see how she would have had a motive for doing what you say.
It is also the case that there were other arrests recorded on tape. Sure, all of it can be dismissed as ‘outside agitators’ or ‘liberal agitators,’ but in fact at least several of the arrested press where from more mainstream publications.
Arresting journalists merely for not being Republicans is truly disturbing. It makes me seriously wonder if Minnesota is a safe travel destination for Independents, Democrats, Greens, and Libertarians.
I’m pretty sure she wasn’t arrested for “not being Republican”; this strikes me as an absurd explanation.