Journalists sue over 2008 GOP convention arrests

Article by: STEVE KARNOWSKI , Associated Press
Updated: May 5, 2010 - 10:03 AM

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MINNEAPOLIS - Syndicated journalist Amy Goodman and two of her producers are suing St. Paul, Minneapolis and other defendants over their arrests while covering the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Goodman, host of the radio and TV news program "Democracy Now!" and her producers were among 40 to 50 journalists arrested covering protests at the convention in downtown St. Paul, along with about 800 demonstrators and bystanders.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in Minnesota alleges that authorities violated the First Amendment freedoms of Goodman, her producers and other journalists by interfering with their rights to gather news.

They're seeking court orders to prevent similar actions in the future, plus unspecified monetary damages.

St. Paul's interim city attorney, Gerald Hendrickson, said his office had not been served with the lawsuit so he couldn't comment.

Goodman's program airs on over 750 stations.

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On the Net:

Democracy Now! website: http://www.democracynow.org