"No Break for Protesters, Street Vows," was the headline in the August 5 Inquirer. Mayor Milton Street and police commissioner John Timoney called the organizers of demonstrations at the Republican National Convention outside agitators. At a news conference Timoney further described them as "conspirators and criminals and cowards." He asked federal agencies to "look into these groups" of protesters.

Nearly 400 people were arrested out of the more than 5,000 participants in various demonstrations that occurred during the Republican Party convention from July 31-August 3.

Many of those arrested were engaged in sit-ins in intersections. City officials are throwing the book at the protesters, holding them on much higher bail than customary and refusing to release more than a hundred of those detained.

Two of the demonstrators, John Sellers, a leader of the Ruckus Society, and Kathleen Sorensen of the Direct Action Group, are being held on $1 million bond each, as leaders of the actions. A judge on August 7 reduced Sellers's bail to $100,000. He had been arrested August 2 while walking along a city street. Terrence McGuckin, a leader of Philadelphia ACT UP, has also been held on $500,000 bail on misdemeanor charges.

Prior to the week of demonstrations, the city initially refused permits for any demonstrations outside the "protest pits." The City Council outlawed the wearing of face masks, and the police increased open surveillance of organizations and individuals. The city also raided one organizing center, closing it on the pretext of "building code violations." The office was reopened after an uproar in the media.

Permits were issued for two of the larger actions, one July 30 and the other against police brutality and the death penalty on August 1. The same day, the cops raided a warehouse in West Philadelphia that served as an organizing center and production site for puppets for street theater. The police had no warrant for the seizure and subsequent arrest of 83 individuals at the warehouse.