Convention protesters cling to free speech rights, more than 300 arrested

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Katelyn Peck, a 20-year-old junior from California State University, stood with about 25 other protesters in a sea of pink. Pink dresses and umbrellas, jeweled crowns, sequined cowboy hats and pink banners formed the group’s attire, while one woman in the lead blew a whistle and ordered the march forward as mobs of media and citizens traipsed around them.

The peace group, CODEPINK, danced, sang and marched to declare their distaste for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the vice-presidential candidate who spoke Wednesday evening at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. The group is one of many that came to the convention calling for peace and an end to the war. Many claim their right of free speech is what brings them here, hoping they can convince others of their varying messages.

Protests have led to more than 300 arrests during the convention thus far, said Sgt. William Palmer from the RNC Joint Information Center in St. Paul. Palmer, who said police have been preparing for more than a year for the RNC, said protesters are welcome to come to the convention and exercise their free speech rights, but many go too far.

“This is not about the protesters,” Palmer said. “This is about people who are breaking the law.”

The women of CODEPINK rehearsed several verses of their tune, before marching and singing, “Sarah Palin, we know what she stands for. You’ll save a fetus in the womb, then send them off to war!”

Peck said she felt protesting Palin’s candidacy was part of her freedom of speech and worth traveling from California for the convention. The risk of getting arrested wasn’t really a concern, she said. Many protesters can apply for a permit to be there, but CODEPINK had not.

“If I do, I do,” she said. “I don’t really care.”

Peck shared a sign with Barbara Briggs-Letson, a 74-year-old from Sebastopol, Calif., who sported a pageant-style sash stating “I Miss America.” Briggs-Letson said she didn’t think she was at risk of getting arrested even without the permit to protest, adding that, “My permit is the Constitution of the United States of America.” Briggs-Letson, who said she also traveled to Denver last week for the Democratic National Convention to protest, said she hopes the group’s message is “changing a few minds.”

Earlier in the day, 45-year-old Zach Elliott stood on the sidewalk a few blocks from the Xcel Energy Center in an orange jumpsuit protesting torture with about five others.

The small group, clad in orange jumpsuits with black cloth bags concealing their faces, held a sign reading “This could be your child. Torture is U.S. Policy. Demand it to Stop. Call Congress. Join Us.” Some sat on the sidewalk with their heads down while another stood motionless with his arms outstretch holding a makeshift chain wearing a bright orange “End the War!” T-shirt.

Elliott, who is from Madison, Wis., said his wife and 8-year-old daughter were worried about the risks he was taking by coming to St. Paul, Minn., to protest. Still, he said it was important to exercise his right of free speech. When asked if he felt protesting changed the minds of passers-by, he added, “I’m not sure.”

Elliott didn’t come to St. Paul, Minn., with a group. Instead, he serves as a sort of protesting free rider, asking other groups if he can join them. Elliott said he “came here basically assuming I would at some point be arrested,” but felt it was “important to speak out,” he said. “I think it’s getting incredibly difficult to do so.”

On Monday a different group of protesters wore bandanas over their mouths and formed a makeshift fence, at times blocking traffic while police looked on. The group shouted everything from “This is what democracy looks like!” to “We all live in a racist police state” to the tune of “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles. Police rode on bikes following the protests, surrounding and arresting anyone who got out of hand.

Pete Rhomberg, a junior at the University of Illinois who was part of the protest group on Monday, said he feels protesting the convention is a least “a step in the right direction.”  As for the possibility of getting arrested he says, “It’s a threat I’ll take.”

While protesters will continue to take over downtown areas near the Xcel Energy Center this week, women like Briggs-Letson held that she thought they were changing people’s minds by being out there.

“I have six grandchildren,” she said. “I don’t want to leave them the kind of country I think we have now.”