Two organizations said today they filed an emergency motion with the court Saturday to try to prevent police from seizing video equipment and cell phones used to document officers’ conduct.

The move came after the Ramsey County sheriff’s office raided on Friday night a center used by protest groups in St. Paul, and three Minneapolis homes Saturday. Five people were arrested. Sheriff Bob Fletcher said they are key leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee, a self-described anarchist group.

The National Lawyers Guild and Communities United Against Police Brutality filed the motion late Saturday, according to a press release.

The release said “examples of police interference with the right to document their conduct” included seizure of equipment in Minneapolis from three journalists with Glass Bead Collective and targeting of journalists during a raid in St. Paul on Saturday.

Communities United Against Police Brutality president Michelle Gross said she was video taping the sheriff’s office raid in St. Paul on Saturday night when deputies shut off her camera.

“This action prevented her from documenting the incident in its entirety,” the press release said. “Despite their actions, Ms. Gross was able to capture about 7 1/2 minutes of video and audio of the beginning of the raid, including use by deputies of a battering ram to force open the door to a upstairs theater where families were watching a film.

The groups are holding a press conference this afternoon.