Twin Cities Violence: Just What The RNC Ordered

By Sara Robinson
September 2nd, 2008 - 2:04pm ET

It almost seems like the Twin Cities cops are going way out of their way to create trouble, doesn't it?

We had our share of ugly police events in Denver—almost all of them resulting when party leaders ordered police to harass journalists trying to document swanky confabs between fat cats and industry lobbyists. But, even so, one did not get the impression that the legions in black Gore-Tex were going out of their way to create trouble, let alone incite public riots. Mostly, they were remarkably live-and-let-live.

On the other hand, law enforcement in the Twin Cities tipped their hand Friday night that they're so ready to rumble that they're perfectly willing to throw the first punch, if that's what it takes to get the riot started. Glenn Greenwald and FDL's Lindsay Beyerstein have been providing summary coverage of events as they unfolded; in their reporting, it's all too clear that there are lot of powerful people involved who are spoiling for a street fight with progressives.