AnarchistsTookContronOfDwontownStPaulPoliceAdmit

2008, 3 min Download Police lost control of the anarchists during the RNC, and for the first time, police are offering a look at what went wrong, and how they may learn from their mistakes. Police dispatch on the first day of the RNC reveal a communication breakdown for two crucial hours on Sept. 1. Dispatch tapes show that between noon and 2:00 p.m., downtown belonged to the anarchists. Tape: "Squads in my group, back off now, they're smashing out of every squad car window around here." Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher says of the miscommunication, "We had 15 officers responsible for the conduct of 500 anarchists. They were outnumbered 40 to one." And those officers, many fighting back without protective gear, had one question: Where was the backup? The 11 mobile field force units, each with 75 officers in riot gear, were stationed along the parade route, where 10,000 protesters were marching peacefully. At that time, about 500 anarchists split off in three directions, the town u