The RNC 8 released this eloquent and informative statement today.

This case of passionate activists being brazenly targeted for their activism must become part of our everyday conversation in this country.  Please, if you gather with family and / or friends this holiday season, take a moment to share their story.

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Response to Susan Gaertner, (Today’s) Hearing – Press Statement
December 17th, 2008

The following was read at the December 17 press conference by a member of the
RNC 8 Support Committee. It is in response to that day’s court appearance by
the RNC 8 and a press statement released earlier that morning by Ramsey County
Attorney Susan Gaertner, which follows our statement.

PRESS STATEMENT

As you may already know, early this week members of the RNC 8 were notified
that they are now facing three new felony counts for a total of four. Along
with their previous charge, Conspiracy to Commit Riot in the Second Degree in
Furtherance of Terrorism, they are now facing: Conspiracy to Commit Riot in the
Second Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Damage to Property in Furtherance
of Terrorism, and Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Damage to Property.

Bob Fletcher, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s office, and Ramsey County Attorney
Susan Gaertner would have you interpret this development as an affirmation of
their guilt resulting from strong new evidence against them. On the contrary,
the amended complaint from the prosecutor’s office offers up no new evidence
for these charges – it merely refers back to the same material they’ve been
using all along, but now with the alleged crime articulated four different
ways. The prosecution does not have a strong case. They know this and so, in
the absence of a certain conviction, they must resort to prosecutorial games
meant to cloud public perception and to ensnare the 8 in a web of overlapping
charges, hoping to confuse jurors into falling back on a single conviction in
the face of too many possibilities.

In short, these new charges have been hoisted on their backs in an effort to
terrorize the RNC 8 and hedge the weakness of the States case. Knowing that the
“evidence” alone will not win a conviction, the sheriff and county attorney
are grasping at straws, hoping to construct the illusion of guilt and turn the
jury pool against the 8 before trial even begins. Unfortunately for the State,
the RNC 8 have the strength of all their supporters behind them, and with that,
will maneuver through whatever mind games the State throws their way.

In addition to these new charges, the Prosecutor’s office is attempting to
obtain a court order to keep the RNC 8 from sharing information about their
case – both amongst ourselves and with others. We believe that access to the
media and the freedom to share information as their defense necessitates are
fundamental elements of a functional court process, and are appalled at the
prosecution’s attempt to limit our ability to execute an adequate defense. As
Bob Fletcher, John Harrington, and Dave Titus grandstand about those nasty,
violent protesters and wield unfounded allegations Gaertner’s office is
attempting to bureaucratically gag the RNC 8 and keep the truth from the people
of Minnesota. Today, even as the prosecution attempted to silence the RNC 8
through a court order, Susan Gaertner released her own statement to the press
once again defaming our character in an attempt to taint the jury pool.

We will not stand for slander and we will not stand by quietly and let this
gang of thugs in badges write the history books.

Statement from Ramsey County/2010 DFL Governor Candidate Susan Gaertner:
http://rnc08report.org/archive/590.shtml

My office is charged with protecting the public safety in Ramsey County while
respecting individual rights by enforcing our state’s criminal laws effectively
and fairly.

Every day, law enforcement officers present cases to our prosecutors, and those
prosecutors determine if criminal charges are warranted based on the facts
presented to them, and on the law.

That is exactly what they did in the cases of the eight individuals who have
been charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree riot and first-degree
criminal damage to property during the Republican National Convention in St.
Paul in September 2008.

Contrary to the assertions of some individuals supporting them, the defendants
are not being singled out for prosecution for political reasons, or to silence
the free speech we all cherish. Plain and simple, they face these charges
because they broke laws that apply to them, and to all others, equally.

Thousands of their fellow citizens peacefully made their voices heard during
the convention. There is real evidence, however, that a few individuals
committed crimes intended to interfere with others’ ability to exercise their
First Amendment rights free of violence.

The evidence shows that these defendants, rather than being victims of
oppression, planned to deprive others both inside and outside the convention
hall of their free speech rights through acts of violence.

We would not be fulfilling out duties as prosecutors if we did not bring, or
now dropped, charges against such individuals when we believe the evidence
shows, beyond a reasonable doubt, that they have violated criminal laws that
apply to all of us.

My office will continue to prosecute these cases as we would any other cases
fairly and without favor.