Campus Antiwar Network’s peaceful protest brutally attacked and maced by police

From the Campus Antiwar Network's National website (written by myself and a number of other CAN members from across the country):

September 2nd 2008

On September 1st 2008, the Campus Antiwar Network (CAN) was faced with excessive police repression while staging a peaceful march in the streets of St. Paul. This was one of many demonstrations speaking out against the Republican Nation Convention, and the illegal and immoral occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Marchers were met with police brutality of varying extremes.
The force used upon us ranged from shoving and grabbing without warning to the deployment of mace. In other areas of St. Paul there was excessive use of mace, tear gas, and concussion grenades, as well as more extreme forms of violence, such as trampling protesters by horse mounted police.

One CAN member, Ian Chinich, was arrested in a moment of vulnerability after being violently struck by the St. Paul Police Department’s mountain bikes, without warning, and then severely maced. Chinich’s charges were never made explicit to him, and he was denied medical attention for his severe mace injuries. Furthermore, the Ramsey County Jail denied Chinich his cell phone upon his release at 2am, which was irresponsible and dangerous for Chinich since he didn’t have his glasses and was left to roam in the dark alone.

Maria Lewis, another CAN member, was maced at a close range, causing severe injuries. After receiving medical attention, Lewis rejoined the protest and was tear gassed and arrested. Charges are still pending. She is being held without bail until charges are officially brought against her. Updates about both cases will be forthcoming.

Other CAN members practicing their first amendment rights were knocked to the ground by bike police, using their mountain bikes as a weapons, and then maced. Another protester was rammed at a fast speed by a police motorcycle, and suffered injuries to the head.

The disproportionate use of violence was in response to a completely peaceful march. In no way did the marchers show any aggression towards the police.

CAN condemns such reckless, capricious, unnecessary, and violent acts of repression against peaceful protesters. Such actions stifle our most important rights to assembly, to freedom of speech, to freedom of press, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Look for more information concerning CAN and the RNC in upcoming posts!