Lawsuit over arrests at RNC dismissed

A lawsuit that alleged the city of St. Paul and law enforcement officials violated the civil rights of people arrested outside the Republican National Convention has been dismissed by a U.S. District court judge.

Judge Paul Magnuson threw the suit out at a hearing in St. Paul on Thursday. The case was filed in September 2009, by 32 people who police thought were political protestors inciting violence along Shepard Road on the first day of the convention.

One of the plaintiffs' attorneys, David Shulman, said his clients will appeal the judge's dismissal.

"They all remember it vividly and it was a traumatic event for them," Shulman said. "Many of them had to go to jail because of this, and then they also are spread out all over the country, even all over the world. They've had to make a commitment to the case to participate, but they are committed."

Shulman said his clients would really like a message to be sent with this case that it's not OK for the police to arrest innocent people. He said they're committed to the case for the long haul.

Shulman also said he has an array of evidence to back up his clients' version of events, including You Tube video. Supporters of the defendants say the police were attacked.

The plaintiffs say police used chemical sprays and nonlethal ammunition to herd them into a riverfront area.