Sweeping police raids across the Twin Cities. Manhandled, handcuffed, intimidated and detained: lawyers, journalists and activists in anticipation of the Republican convention. Public meetings dispersed, “hippie houses” raided by black-clad, heavily armed SWAT teams. Glenn Greenwald, who was at one of the houses raided this morning, has the scoop.

UPDATE : Thanks Dennis!

UPDATE II : I just came across this from Friday:

The FBI will play a big role in gathering intelligence and investigating any terroristic threats that may pop up during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

The agency has set up an Intelligence Operations Center at an undisclosed location, where information on suspicious people or activity will be collected and immediately analyzed. The agents will have access to all FBI and local databases.

Ralph Boelter, special agent in charge of the Minneapolis division of the FBI, said the agency has put more resources in Minnesota than ever before “because the responsibility is substantial.” He couldn’t reveal numbers for security reasons.

The FBI has also set up a Joint Operations Center, which would become a command center and be used only in the event of a crisis.

“Hopefully we’ll never activate this,” he said.

The Republican National Convention, held at the Xcel Energy Center Sept. 1-4, is designated as a National Special Security Event, or NSSE, which means the U.S. Secret Service is the lead agency coordinating security. The FBI, as well as state and local authorities, are all part of the security operation.

I’m starting to think the conventions are just one big, steroidal table top exercise. Luckless pedestrians like Greenwald and Asa Esclocker fit in merely as props!