Press Release: Lawsuit seeks $250,000 in damages for police violence against anti-war protester at RNC

For Immediate Release: September 25, 2008

Lawsuit seeks $250,000 in damages
for police violence against anti-war protester at RNC

Press Conference – Friday, September 26, 3pm
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.”