78-Year-Old Nun Arrested At RNC Protest

Nine Protesters Were Busted By Cops In Riot Gear For Entering Restricted Area

(AP)  Police in riot gear arrested two women in their 70s and seven others taking part in an antiwar march at the Republican National Convention on Sunday after they crossed a security fence into a restricted area near Xcel Energy Center.

The nine were arrested for trespassing, said Doug Holtz, a St. Paul police commander. All but one, who did not have identification, were released by police shortly after their arrest.

Eight of the protesters were handcuffed, and some flashed the peace sign to onlookers and media gathered at the security fence. Betty McKenzie, a 78-year-old nun, was not handcuffed as she was led away. The protesters had planned ahead of time to cross the fence, and organizers had announced it ahead of the march, which drew about 250 people.

"We are going to march into the arms of police. Whatever they are going to do is all right with us," organizer David Harris said to the marchers before they entered the restricted zone. He was one of those arrested.

"I believe it's time to stop this war," said Steve Clemens, 57, of Minneapolis, who also crossed the fence.

The arrests capped an otherwise peaceful march organized by Veterans for Peace and fellow peace group CodePink that began at the Capitol and made its way to the convention hall. It was a quiet warm-up before a planned march Monday that was expected to attract a larger crowd; organizers of Monday's march have said they hope to have as many as 50,000 people.

Jeanne Hynes, 72, of St. Paul was arrested along with her friend McKenzie, a nun from the Sisters of St. Joseph.

"We both planned to do this if we could make it this far," said Hynes as she waited to be arrested at the end of the half-mile route. "We weren't sure if our backs would hold up."

As the march began, Harris read the names of soldiers and civilians killed in Iraq. After each name was read, the marchers near Harris shouted "We will remember you!"

Bringing up the rear of the march, about three dozen people wearing orange jump suits and black hoods over their heads marched in silence with their hands behind their backs. Marchers carried banners that said, "Torture Destroys Us All." Sixty-one combat boots were lined up on the Capitol lawn to represent Minnesota soldiers who died in Iraq.

"We want to make it very clear we are pro-soldier and anti-war," said Madea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink.

Korean War veteran Bill Starr, 73, was carrying an American flag and a tombstone with the name of a soldier killed in Iraq. He said he sees futility in war.

"I can lock up my house and scream about it or I can come here," said Starr, of Minneapolis, who marched with his 37-year-old daughter.

Meanwhile, members of the RNC Welcoming Committee - which is not a sponsor of the Monday march but has been helping other protest groups coordinate - were trying to regroup after a series of raids Friday night and Saturday saw six people arrested and materials seized.

Assistant St. Paul Police Chief Matt Bostrom said those arrested had plans to disrupt transportation in the area, damage property and injure others.

Some of what was seized included knives, axes, bomb-making materials and anti-war literature.

It didn't appear likely that those arrested would be out of jail in time to help organize protesters or participate in Monday's event. They aren't required to be brought before a judge until noon on Wednesday, said their attorney Bruce Nestor.

Even so, Nestor said he was hopeful that a judge would review the cases against the six on Sunday and they could be released sooner. He said none of the six have any convictions other than misdemeanors and none have a history of violence.

The arrested can legally be held for 36 hours, not including the weekend or the Labor Day holiday.

"It's pretty clear that the point is to get organizers out of the picture," said Andy Fahlstrom, spokesman for the RNC Welcoming Committee. He said those arrested were in charge of various things, including finding housing for protesters and arranging food, and the arrests had adversely affected their organization.

Meanwhile, the organizers of Monday's march said they weren't changing their plans despite the GOP's decision to sharply curtail that day's session.

"The main effect of this scaling-back of the convention tomorrow is that our voices will be front and center and it will be the main news that is happening tomorrow," said Jess Sundin, of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War.

"The world will see people of this country say no to the war in Iraq."

[jmurrieta1]

Wonder how she''ll like Guantanamo?

[jmurrieta1]

"Some of what was seized included . . .anti-war literature."

Guess Tim Pawlenty has to protect us all from such seditious documents! Antiwar literature--imagine!

When the whole future of the Republican party rests on perpetual war!

[babooph]

Those Bushies are very afraid of 78 year old nuns-"Homeland Insecurity" dept had to rid the US of the bill of rights to arrest them without chargres or trial,or lawyers-what can anyone expect of cowards?

[babooph]

A few months of waterboarding will get the facts out of her& her dangerous organization!!

[bob5ford]

Seperation of church and state? These kooks are the same ones who would scream if any law was passed that governed any aspect of them.

[shameonbush]

Yet another reason why I would NEVER vote Republican.

[toolmangler-2009]

Wonder how she''''ll like Guantanamo?
Posted by jmurrieta1 at 06:47 PM : Aug 31, 2008


She can probably handle it better than you can, Her faith will lift her up, would yours lift you?

[edward1975-2009]

If these nuns truly wished to protest something, here''s a hint, how about protesting the paying of hush money and the protecting of pedophiles that the Catholic Church protects and harbors. Protest that. Maybe then someone would care.

[republic1776]

40 Million babies are aborted in the World every year.
Why don''t they protest that.
Why did they NOT protest in Iraq when Saddam was killing 100''s of thousands.
Why don''t they come to Philadelphia and protest 500 Murders per year?
Drunk Drivers kill more than the War too!
Choose a battle that can save the most lives.
They''re fuitcakes but they have the right to be fuitcakes in America.

[cdfoxtrot2]

"78-Year-Old Nun Arrested At RNC Protest". What has the United States descended to under Bush? Arresting 78 year old nuns puts the US in the same company as bastions of human rights like China and Israel.

[tiger8055]

These people are just so brave in standing up the eeevil Bush regime like that. You go girl!! LOL. I wonder if they pre-announce their protests and plan on marching "into the arms of the police" when they protest in places like Burma or Darfur. Oh wait, that would take actual courage to protest in countries like those, which have actual a$$-pounding oppression. No American liberals like to stage their fake protests right here in the good ol''USA, where they''ll be nice and safe and the worst thing they need to contend with is a few nights in lock-up and a stern talking-to by a judge. Pro-troops my a$$. You can''t support the troops and hope that they lose like that panty-waste Obama.

[hbevis]

If these crazy people wanted to protest and make something of it, they should have waited until the convention started then crossed the line and got arrested. But noooo they had to do it today. They had it all organized and knew in advance that they would be arrested when they crossed the fence. So they got arrested right on time and will maybe be jailed until Wednesday. Therefore they will not be able to do anything more. Also it has been in the news that the convention would be delayed a day or so because of the on-coming storm in the Gulf of Mexico. What a bunch of ill- willed people. DUMB planing... It would have been nice to have all of this happen when it could have to amounted to something. As it is they will be almost forgotten by the middle of the week. And everyone could have seen and heard what they all had to say.

I will say that there are a number of POST that are right on the money about the Catholic Church. Their heads have been the sand for many years...

[hbevis]

"78-Year-Old Nun Arrested At RNC Protest". What has the United States descended to under Bush? Arresting 78 year old nuns puts the US in the same company as bastions of human rights like China and Israel.

Posted by cdfoxtrot2 at 07:26 PM : Aug 31, 2008

THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED TO GET. ARRESTED.......
THEIR HEADS ARE OUT OF PLACE.

[hbevis]

"78-Year-Old Nun Arrested At RNC Protest". What has the United States descended to under Bush? Arresting 78 year old nuns puts the US in the same company as bastions of human rights like China and Israel.

Posted by cdfoxtrot2 at 07:26 PM : Aug 31, 2008

They did this right on time..knowing that they would be arrested as soon as the crossed the line. China has nothing to do with this case.

There are a lot of people that are just fanatic''s on various things and they scream and go on about something when they finely get caught. Let them do their demonstrating in a lawful way and they could still have their point heard.

[sistatee-2009]

"Some of what was seized included knives, axes, bomb-making materials and anti-war literature."

They found gasoline in the tank of her car, yarn in her bedroom nightstand, and horror-of-horrors MATCHES IN A KITCHEN DRAWER!

[pensacola98]

The burr under the saddle of the Republican GOP wont seem to go away so easily.

A presidential commission on ineffectiveness was proposed, but couldn''t be organized in time for the pending election. Sources say the president was advised to do this 3 years ago, but the idea was rejected then because he felt it would distract him from managing the Katrina disaster.

It was reported that while making a selection for his VP, John McCain selected and changed his mind so often, that he made an appointment with a psychiatrist to help him resolve his indecision. After making the appointment, McCain called the psychiatrist and cancelled his appointment, because he changed his mind again.

[dcphillips]

I hope the media swarm this! Two weeks ago we were tsk-tsking the Chinese govenrment for arresting demonstrators. These American people have been arrested without due cause.
Where are the networks? This should be covered in depth.

[closethippy1]

They did this right on time..knowing that they would be arrested as soon as the crossed the line. China has nothing to do with this case.
Posted by hbevis at 07:37 PM : Aug 31, 2008

The people arrested in China were also arrested after they crossed a line.

[allurfears]

I hope the media swarm this! Two weeks ago we were tsk-tsking the Chinese govenrment for arresting demonstrators. These American people have been arrested without due cause.
Where are the networks? This should be covered in depth.

Posted by peace-now-ky at 07:57 PM : Aug 31, 2008
-------

It won''t be. "Constitution", "Liberty", "Free Speech", "Bill of Rights" are concepts that have been demonized by the far right and other authoritarians in the USA. The media is cowed, just like in China, from exposing government excesses. They fear being labeled "un-American" by the Right wing propaganda machine. The American people are simply disinterested.

The police state is coming. Some Americans applaud it as they cower in fear of "terrorism" and are willing to sacrifice their liberty for false promises of safety. All the police have to do is make false accusations of "terrorism", and the cowards among us cry "protect us", allowing any excess the government practices. Later, when these charges are proven false, the media is silent to the injustices. However, the damage as been done.

Most Americans just do not care any more. They think that they will never lose their liberty and are blind to the police state being established by American authoritarian politicians and the rapidly growing "security" apparatus. By the time they realize we are no longer free it will be too late. Perhaps our downfall is inevitable.

[excoachken]

Now that they have your attention, can someone explain why we are stillin a war that was started on lies, "accomplished" it''s "mission" three years ago and shows no sign of acheiving it''s loosely defined and ever changing definition of "Victory"?

[mydiatribe]

=="We want to make it very clear we are pro-soldier and anti-war,"==
IMPOSSIBLE!
The Sisters of St.Joseph who taught this Viet Nam veteran had more sense than this poor old deluded madame. She''s been sipping the MSLSD mass media cool aid!

[pollroller1]

Here''s the deal. If we arrest people in this country for protesting, well that''s OK. But if another country does it, they are taking away the people''s civil rights.

[lemonskink]

Well,that Un-American, unpatriotic, peacenik, they should just ship her off pronto, to Iraq.

[mydiatribe]

I`m leaving.
I ain`t coming back. Posted by Nancy_Naive

Leftie IDIOTS who fled to Canada said that same thing back in the sixties. As soon as Jimmy ''Come Back Home'' Carter granted them amnesty; those morally compromised, weak kneed, phonies quickly abandoned their political beliefs and got on the very next bus heading south! Demonstrators DO actually demonstrate WHO & WHAT they REALLY are, if you keep watching them.

[haoli25]

O

[missingamerica]

"Some of what was seized included knives, axes, bomb-making materials and anti-war literature."

a) uhhhh..."bomb-making material"? Like, stink bomb, smoke bomb, or something dangerous?

b) So possessing anti-war literature is a crime, now? Huh...PNAC has won.

[dmhphils]

bye bye

[dmhphils]

If McCain is elected, I`m leaving.
If he`s re-elected, I ain`t coming back.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:32 PM : Aug 31, 2008


bye bye

[barbaram99]

I have heard of Sister''s order. That war should haved NEVER stared in the first place. I am against it. No I don''t protest. I have never liked war. Its the leaders that have to answer to the lies. They were wrong to willfylly cross where their told they were not allowed. I ''d love to see that illegal war/s ended. there are war crimes..they are free that started it, Is it right that Amrican troops are where they should not be.

[cdfoxtrot2]

Here''''s the deal. If we arrest people in this country for protesting, well that''''s OK. But if another country does it, they are taking away the people''''s civil rights.

Posted by pollroller1

Another version of that double-talk is the way the US media likes to say that US or Israeli soldiers "arrested" someone from the other side. If the other side does it to the US or Israel, it''s described as taking hostages.

[cdfoxtrot2]

If McCain is elected, I`m leaving.
If he`s re-elected, I ain`t coming back.

Posted by Nancy_Naive

I''m with you on that. I said the same thing about the re-election of Bush, but stayed for economic reasons. Been looking at France as a possible escape haven from the US. If things work out over the next year or two, it''s hasta la vista, baby.

[patriot12436]

bancy naive
Promoses, promises, i hope we can count on you to keep this one.

[puldr]

Arrest Bush and Chaney for war crimes instead of the 78 year old nun and other war protesters!

[patriot12436]

cdfox
For anyone looking for a good place to go to it mwoulkd depend on what tyou like mtom do and the cost of livig. I have been living in

[patriot12436]

cdfox
For anyone looking for a good place to go to it mwoulkd depend on what tyou like mtom do and the cost of livig. I have been living in

[sistatee-2009]

Now that they have your attention, can someone explain why we are stillin a war that was started on lies, "accomplished" it''''s "mission" three years ago and shows no sign of acheiving it''''s loosely defined and ever changing definition of "Victory"?
Posted by excoachken at 09:06 PM : Aug 31, 2008

"Killin''s my business, and business is good." Megadeth

[patriot12436]

CBSFOX
iT WOULD DEPEND ON CLIMATE AND FINANCES THAT YOU ARE INTERESATED IN. I have been living in Thailand and love it. Cost of living is very reasonablem, people very friendly. Can rent a two or three bedroom apartment in Bangkok for 300 to 500dollars a month. Canada could also be a nice choice and wouldn''t be so far to move.Australia could also be a nice choice.

[sara48909]

Arrest Bush and Chaney for war crimes instead of the 78 year old nun and other war protesters!

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

AMEN!!!!!!!!!! The sooner the better. This is the greatest failure of the Democratic Congress of 2006 that they failed to impeach both Bush and Cheney!

[alphaa10-2009]

Clearly, a 78-year-old nun is a tremendous threat to whatever flimsy rationale McBush has left to offer for his Iraq policy and other, assorted incompetencies.

Meanwhile, Bush and Cheney are nowhere to be seen. Pretending they are too busy in Washington, monitoring the Gustav crisis, they actually hope this storm won''t leave them with mud all over their faces. Their movie is titled, "Son of Katrina-- The Rematch".

Meanwhile, McBush promises to continue Bush and Cheney policies for another hundred years, or so. Katrina survivors grimly reflect on the prospect.

[occams_taser]

If there was justice Bush and Cheney would hang.

[demwatcher]

"Now that they have your attention, can someone explain why we are stillin a war that was started on lies, "accomplished" it''''''''s "mission" three years ago and shows no sign of acheiving it''''''''s loosely defined and ever changing definition of "Victory"?
Posted by excoachken at 09:06 PM : Aug 31, 2008

"Killin''''s my business, and business is good." Megadeth

Posted by SistaTee at 11:57 PM : Aug 31, 2008"

The mission (which was to remove Saddam from power) WAS accomplished.

The goalpost for victory has been moved back every time by the Liberals and their biased media lapdogs. We defeated Saddam militarily, then the Libs said we needed to improve the industrial infrastructure. We accomplished that then they said it still wasn''t a victory because we needed to stabilize the political system. We accomplished that, then they said that there were too many IEDs killing people. We''ve cut that number down.

Thank the Liberals for the loosely defined and ever changing definition of "Victory".

[dsr57]

Yet another reason why I would NEVER vote Republican.


Posted by shameonbush
----------------------------------------------------

WHat would that reason be?

[rv60610]

Don''t you just love the current occupant and the cheerleaders of the free world...? How ironic that just today China decided to commute the work camp sentences handed down during the Olympics to two 70+ year-old women who protested the property destruction for the event. Nice to know we''re so much more evolved.

[allurfears]

" ''It''s pretty clear that the point is to get organizers out of the picture,'' said Andy Fahlstrom, spokesman for the RNC Welcoming Committee. He said those arrested were in charge of various things, including finding housing for protesters and arranging food, and the arrests had adversely affected their organization."
--------

Free Speech? LMFAO

"Constitution", "Liberty", "Free Speech", "Bill of Rights" are concepts that have been demonized by the far right and other authoritarians in the USA. The media is cowed, just like in China, from exposing government excesses. They fear being labeled "un-American" by the Right wing propaganda machine. The American people are simply disinterested.

The police state is coming. Some Americans applaud it as they cower in fear of "terrorism" and are willing to sacrifice their liberty for false promises of safety. All the police have to do is make false accusations of "terrorism", and the cowards among us cry "protect us", allowing any excess the government practices. Later, when these charges are proven false, the media is silent to the injustices. However, the damage as been done.

Most Americans just do not care any more. They think that they will never lose their liberty and are blind to the police state being established by American authoritarian politicians and the rapidly growing "security" apparatus. By the time they realize we are no longer free it will be too late. Perhaps our downfall is inevitable.

[usmcvn1]

But,but,but Clintion got a BJ in the white house. LOL

[janefondu]

and Obama got a hummer from larry sinclair. LOL

[janefondu]

What has the Democratic led Congress done????? I hear crickets???

[carlylaine]

occams_taser: If there were justice you''d develop a realistic thinking process and every time you opened your mouth or started to write anything...you''d wax blank....I''m sorry I see that has already happened.

[CBSTV]

Anti-war senior citizens taking it to the streets: I love it!

[longtree-2009]

Nuns? More Catholic nut jobs. Too bad, the nuns aren''t protesting their Catholic church that harbors priests and nuns who are pedophiles, *** offenders.