by Paul Schmelzer, September 15, 2008 • One of the more disturbing clips, of way too many, from the Republican National Convention, is this one showing Leah Lane being repeatedly blasted with pepperspray by Minneapolis police officers who knock her down with their bikes. Yesterday, Fox 9, which got the riveting original footage, talks to her — and finds that, unlike me, she’s not angry at the cops, although she does liken them — appropriately, in my experience — to schoolyard bullies.
Note, also, how Fox’s Trish Van Pilsum gets hassled by police for filming, even though she was standing on the median strip, well behind the police line. An officer is heard shooting pepperspray at Van Pilsum’s feet and saying, “Let’s go. I know who you are.” More proof that police knowingly targeted journalists. Minneapolis’ police chief says he’ll look into Lane’s treatment and arrest.
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