mike whalen

On Friday afternoon, a press conference will be held at St. Paul City Hall to announce the first lawsuit stemming from the pre-emptive raids on anti-RNC organizers. Laywers representing Mike Whalen of St. Paul will seek $250,000 in damages from the raid on Whalen's duplex on Iglehart Avenue August 30. The raid turned into a tragic comedy of errors when the SPPD and assisting agencies - apparently targeting I-Witness Video - came with a warrant for the wrong address and detained dozens of people in the backyard, creating a storm in the independent press. Later authorities cited Arise! Bookstore in Minneapolis, imprisoned activist Sara Jane Olson, and alleged deliveries of weapons that turned out to be vegan outreach literature as reasons for the raid.

Below is a press release from Ted Dooley of the National Lawyer's Guild. The conference is at 3pm on Friday.