Apparently the MPD had been planning this from the get-go.

Google “minneapolis tar sands obama” or “minneapolis keystone xl obama” and see how many articles you find by the StarTribune, the Pioneer Press, WCCO, KSTP, TPT2, KARE, or FOX9 on a tar sands protest when Obama goes to Minneapolis.

Lemme guess — you didn’t find anything, right?

A few days ago, rallies were held in cities all over the United States in support of veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes, who had his home raided by the FBI on May 17. The rallies coincided with Montes’ arraignment hearing for felony charges, which were filed against him by the LA County Sheriffs and FBI after the raid. Like twenty-three other activists subpoenaed thus far, Montes has a link to the organizing of marches at the 2008 Republican National Convention.

This week, I am at Netroots Nation #6 in Minneapolis, and I had planned to bring you a video all about one of the themes I saw running through the first day of panels, speeches and briefings. . . I had planned to bring you video, but I am only here through Sunday and that is probably not enough time to upload my usual eight-or-so minutes because the speed of the internet connection here is pre-millennial. . . again.

FDL founder Jane Hamsher is at Netroots Nation in Minneapolis today and will be joining a panel with “Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell” activist Lt. Dan Choi and others titled, “What to Do When the President is Just Not That Into You.”

Antiwar and international solidarity activists, subjects of a federal grand jury investigation that alleges they may have provided “material support for terrorism,” uncovered documents on FBI guidelines and investigation practices left behind in an activist’s home that was raided in September of last year. The documents illuminate how the FBI has conducted surveillance of the activists being targeted in the investigation and further prove the grand jury is being used as a tool to go after political groups.

Thanks to the miracle of cellular technology, I was able to talk to a homeowner while his house was surrounded by police. I reached Mike Whelan by phone at his duplex at 951 Iglehart Ave. in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Whelan is letting observers from the group Legal Watch stay in one half of his side-by-side duplex while they monitor RNC protests He describes himself as a supporter of the demonstrations, but says he is not affiliated with any particular group. “I want to build a country that’s based on good social values,” Whelan explained.