Everyone remembers how the GOP convention turned out three years ago in NYC. Some even remember the free speech pens in Boston. Both were terrible displays by the local police to crush the activist spirit and their use of the First Amendment. No one knows about Denver yet, but top cop Matt Bostrom of St. Paul, MN gave encouraging signs for a respectful police presence at the next GOP convention.
From The Minn Post:
Bostrom — an assistant chief of the St. Paul police department who is charged with balancing law, order and the First Amendment during the Republican National Convention — was saying all the right things to the activists, most of whom plan to be on St. Paul streets during the convention.
There will be no police officers infiltrating protest organizations, Bostrom promised. Police will be in uniform, not war-like tactical gear, he said. There will be no contract cops, similar to the Blackwater security forces. St. Paul police, not the Secret Service, will be in charge of policing outside the convention site at Xcel Energy Center.
"The city of St. Paul is a free-speech zone," Bostrom said. "I say that proudly. I was disappointed when I saw what Boston did (in handling protesters at the 2004 Democratic Convention). I don't understand this idea of putting people in a pen someplace so they can express themselves. That's not the way we will do things."
Now why couldn't it have been that easy in 2004. Bostrom is right that St. Paul is a free speech zone, but so is every other city and rural area across the country. Boston and New York Police Departments obviously didn't get the memo on the Bill of Rights last time. Hopefully if either city gets to host another convention they'll remember it (and take Bostrom's advice) for next time.
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