Welcome to the RNC08
I am not used to seeing dozens upon dozens of police in riot gear. Maybe in pictures, but not on the streets of Saint Paul. At noon I was hanging around at 7th and St. Peter, leaning against Mickey’s Diner as media and police stood around, waiting. When they arrived, I walked among the protesters, taking pictures of them, the counter-protesters, and the police.
I watched and photographed as a police officer grabbed the back of the shirt collar of a protester who wasn’t doing anything that anyone else in the street wasn’t, dragged him down to the ground, and then proceed to spray mace at everyone. Including me. Never been maced before, I was overwhelmed by the force contained in the small amount of liquid that got on me. I managed to get over to a spot on the sidewalk where I dropped to the ground in agony. I am not good at physical pain.
I sat there, face/eyes burning and blinded, until a street medic named Susan came down. She helped hold my eyes open and flushed them with water. A couple TV crews came by to see what was up, and I made sure to point out I wasn’t even a protester; I was just taking pictures.
I was not the only journalist to be maced today. [1] [2]
Edit: It turns that this was all caught on tape, unsurprisingly! I am in the blue tank top and Twins hat with the red backpack.
