In front of City Hall, 15 Kellogg Ave, St. Paul
The first lawsuit resulting from police violence at the Republican National Convention will be announced at a press conference Sept. 26. Notice is being served on the cities of Saint Paul, Bloomington and Minneapolis, along with Ramsey County that lawyers representing Mick Kelly will seek $250,000 in damages. Kelly was shot at close range and injured by police with a high velocity marking projectile at a demonstration organized by the Anti-War Committee on the fourth day of the RNC, Sept. 4.
Said Katrina Plotz of the Anti War Committee, "Those responsible for attacking our protest against the war on Iraq need to be held accountable. Nearly 400 people were arrested. Riot police repeatedly met our demonstration with tear gas and concussion grenades. We have every right to speak out against the war. We demand all charges against anti-war protesters are dropped. Those who stood in the way of our right to protest will now answer for their actions."
Mick Kelly was carrying the lead banner in the march to the Xcel Center. Police blocked the march route at 12th and Cedar. He was shot after police tore the banner off the poles that was holding it aloft.
Kelly, who was among the organizers of the massive anti-war march on the first day of the RNC, has another lawsuit pending against the city of Saint Paul stemming from an incident where he was arrested on June 5 for passing out leaflets promoting an anti-war protest outside the Obama rally.
The lawsuit is being pursued by attorneys Ted Dooley, Gena Berglund and Peter Nickitas, all members of the National Lawyers Guild. Ted Dooley will be among the speakers at the press conference.
Attorney Ted Dooley states, "Saint Paul took on the trappings of a police state during the Republican National Convention. This lawsuit is about obtaining a measure of justice for those who had their rights trampled on."
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