In a February 25th, 2008 article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, titled "As convention nears, rules set for scrutiny of protesters", writer Randy Furst wrote:
A new St. Paul police policy for investigating protest groups draws praise from police experts for its sensitivity to dissent, but criticism from those who worry that police will spy on activists leading up to the Republican National Convention..
"It looks like they are in the business of infiltrating groups," said Chuck Samuelson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, after reviewing a copy of the policy requested by the Star Tribune.
"I am not sure what would prompt them to say that because I don't think that the document says that," responded Tom Walsh, a St. Paul police spokesman.
The policy, adopted in January by Chief John Harrington, has nothing do with the Sept. 1-4 convention, said Walsh. "We have completely redone our manual. We do that periodically. This is not tied to the RNC."
Asked if the new policy would be used to investigate convention protesters, Walsh said: "That presumes there will be those investigations and I don't think we can presume that."
To former Minneapolis Police Chief Tony Bouza, there's no question the policy was prepared with the convention in mind. "It's the 800-pound gorilla in the room," he said.
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