THE UPTAKE is a video web site which allows live feeds from cell phone cameras (using QIK) which then become archived videos. Recently it has been documenting a series of aggressive raids in the lead-up to the 2008 RNC in the Minneapolis area, clearly intending to intimidate possible activists and protestors. Some of the people trapped in house raids include not just possible protestors but also journalists and lawyers.

 ASSORTED 'THE UPTAKE' VIDEOS documenting raids:

 Police Bust Thru Attic to Detain "Democracy Now" Producer

 Police Sieze Bus

 Journalists Detained

In some recent videos posted to THE UPTAKE, some bystanders clearly did not want to be filmed, apparently due to the harsh police/FBI treatment of activists. 

Among other alternative/new media swept up in the raids are employees of Democracy Now and members of I-Witness , a group which documents police brutality, and whose documentation led to the recent dismissal of 400 cases against protestors and the award of 2 million dollars to a smaller group of protestors whose civil rights had been violated when police arrested them on April 7, 2003 using falsified statements (as the videos documented).

The raids have been well-documented by SALON.com 's Glenn Greenwald . Two recent posts are:

 Massive police raids on suspected protestors in Minneapolis (Saturday Aug. 30, 2008)

 Federal government involved in raids on protesters (Sunday, Aug 31, 2008)

UPDATE: QIK video of St. Paul police press conference (Sept. 1, from THE UPTAKE) it appears that Glenn Greenwald is the person asking (at -5:44) about journalists and lawyers who were arrested. Tom Walsh, the Public Information Officer, stated that "There may be a journalist who has been detained." To this Glenn Greenwald asked the question, "Do you know who it is?," and Walsh's answer was "Well, I wouldn't tell you that" (-4:37), and went on to imply that the reporter had been active in rioting. When another attendee (Matt Stoller) asks about the possibility of intimidation tactics, the discussion is completely shut down. Greenwald's commentary:

"Interestingly, all of the standard journalists asked very police-sympathetic questions ('how much property damage was done? were all the criminals part of this same RNC Welcoming Group? How many police officers were injured?' [answer: none]), while all of the independent journalists—such as those from the superb, intrepid site, The Uptake—asked challenging and skeptical (i.e., real) questions." [lightly edited]

VIDEO: 

UPDATE #2: Salon's Glenn Greenwald has confirmed his presence at the press conference. See his post, Scenes from St. Paul -- Democracy Now's Amy Goodman arrested (Sept. 1, 2008) Video of Goodman's arrest can be seen here .

UPDATE #3: Glenn Greenwald notes (evening of Sept. 1, 2008) that "Democracy Now is now reporting that Amy Goodman has been released, though there is no word on the two Democracy Now producers who were also arrested"—according to the Democracy Now! news release, these were the very reporters [Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar] Goodman was attempting to get released from unlawful detention when she was arrested.

UPDATE #4: All three of the detained journalists from Democracy Now! have been released (Sept. 1, 2008): "Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar Released After Illegal Arrest at RNC." According to Democracy Now!,

All three were violently manhandled by law enforcement officers. Abdel Kouddous was slammed against a wall and the ground, leaving his arms scraped and bloodied. He sustained other injuries to his chest and back. Salazar’s violent arrest by baton-wielding officers, during which she was slammed to the ground while yelling, “I’m Press! Press!,” resulted in her nose bleeding, as well as causing facial pain. Goodman’s arm was violently yanked by police as she was arrested.