Sheriff's deputies, police raid anarchist headquarters

Ramsey County sheriff's deputies and St. Paul police Friday night raided a St. Paul building that is being used by a coalition of anarchists who say they plan to disrupt the Republican National Convention.

Members of the group that calls itself the RNC Welcoming Committee say the deputies entered the building with their guns drawn and told about 50 people inside to get on the ground. The protesters were handcuffed, but later they were released.

Jordan Kushner of the National Lawyers Guild says the deputies read the anarchists a search warrant. Kushner says the warrant listed bomb making materials, computers and even banner making materials.

"What I obviously think is going on here is these allegations of bomb-making materials are a pretext, so they can get a judge to sign a warrant to allow them to invade this space, and what they really want to do is confiscate every means that people have to engage in legitimate political dissent," said Kushner.

Officers at the scene would not comment, but a joint public safety press conference will be held this morning in downtown St. Paul.

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