RNC 8

The RNC 8 are eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee who were arrested and charged with a felony under Minnesota terrorism law with "Conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism."

On August 30, 2008, two days before the Republican National Convention was held, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department raided three homes and arrested five activists, Monica Bicking, Garrett Fitzgerald, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, and Eryn Trimmer. Later that day, Luce Guillen-Givins was arrested leaving a public meeting at a park. The remaining two activists, Rob Czernik and Max Specktor, were arrested on September 1, the first day of the protests surrounding the RNC convention.

The eight activists were originally charged under the Minnesota version of the USA PATRIOT Act with "conspiracy to riot in the second degree in furtherance of terrorism." On April 8, 2009, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner announced that the terrorism charges, which carried enhanced penalties, would be dropped. The eight co-defendants were charged with two felony counts: conspiracy to riot and conspiracy to commit property damage.