250 arrested after march against war at convention

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Demonstrations near the Republican National Convention site turned violent Monday, as protesters harassed some delegates, smashed windows, slashed car tires and threw bottles. Police using pepper spray arrested more than 250 people, including Matt Rourke, an Associated Press photographer, and Amy Goodman, host of "Democracy Now!" a nationally syndicated public radio and TV news program.

Many of those involved in the more violent activities identified themselves to reporters as anarchists. These protesters, some clad in black, were on the streets along with a peaceful anti-war march, wreaking havoc by damaging property and setting at least one fire. Most of the trouble was in pocket of a neighborhood near downtown, several blocks from the convention.

The main anti-war march was peaceful, police said, estimating about 10,000 people participated. Late Monday afternoon, long after the anti-war marchers had dispersed, police requested and got 150 Minnesota National Guard soldiers to control splinter groups.

Members of the Connecticut delegation said they were attacked by protesters when they got off their bus near the Xcel Center, KMSP-TV reported. Delegate Rob Simmons told the station that a group of protesters came toward his delegation and tried to rip the credentials off their necks and sprayed them with a toxic substance that burned their eyes and stained their clothes.

Obama urges help for hurricane victims

DETROIT — Barack Obama urged hundreds of thousands of supporters Monday to donate to the Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Gustav. The Democratic presidential nominee scaled back Labor Day speeches to unions in an effort to keep the focus on the Gulf Coast.

Obama planned to finish his campaign schedule Monday with stops in Michigan and Wisconsin, two battleground states the campaign views as possible wins, before heading home to Chicago to monitor the situation and decide his schedule for the rest of the week.

"Instead of a speech, what I'd like to do is to ask all of us to join in some silent prayer for all those Americans who are spending this Labor Day in a shelter waiting for another storm to pass," Obama said at an outdoor rally in the shadow of General Motors' headquarters.

In e-mails and text messages sent to hundreds of thousands of his supporters, Obama urged donations to the American Red Cross. Obama had built up a massive list of cellphone numbers with a promotion to announce his running mate by text message.

GOP platform calls for no abortions

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Republicans rebuffed their soon-to-be nominee Monday by endorsing a platform that goes further than John McCain in opposition to abortion rights.

Republican National Chairman Robert "Mike" Duncan used a quick gavel to adopt a platform unconditionally declaring the party's opposition to abortion, despite shouts of "no" when Duncan made a perfunctory call for objections.

The GOP document, which is nonbinding, does not provide exceptions allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest or where a mother's life would be in danger — all favored by McCain. The Arizona senator's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, opposes abortion in all cases, consistent with the platform.

During their meeting last week, Democrats dropped Clinton-era language saying abortion should be "safe, legal and rare." Democratic nominee Barack Obama said in his acceptance speech: "We may not agree on abortion but surely we can agree on reducing unwanted pregnancies in this country."

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