Public Safety

Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan expressed relief at the lack of violence associated with last night’s Rage Against the Machine concert. Despite more than 100 arrests, Dolan said the situation had the potential to be explosive given the intersection of delegates and protesters. “We were very, very nervous about that,” he said at a press conference this morning. “We had a recipe there for a perfect storm. I’m thankful to be here today to say that things went as well as I could have ever expected.” MORE »

The heavy police presence promised at the RNC in St. Paul this week was like honey to a bee for a few angry troublemakers and thrill seekers. (I won’t call them anarchists, because not all anarchists are vandals and troublemakers.) MORE »

Twenty-one people have been charged with felonies stemming from Republican National Convention protest activities, according to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. This includes eight individuals affiliated with the RNC Welcoming Committee who were the target of pre-convention police raids and face second-degree conspiracy to riot charges. Seven of them are being held on $75,000 bail, while the remaining individual is at large. MORE »

A parade of protesters and people caught up in RNC street arrests passed through Ramsey County courts on Tuesday and Wednesday, with on-line court records showing 134 people charged by 10 p.m. on September 3. (See NEWS YOU CAN USE | Finding court records.) Dozens of people were released without charges or on citations requiring them to return to court on misdemeanor charges in the future. MORE »