ST. PAUL -- As I made my way toward the Xcel Energy Center where the Republican National Convention just got under way, I came across several blocked streets in downtown St. Paul. At one intersection, protestors collapsed to the ground to block a tour bus.

Police used plastic zip ties to detain those protestors. The streets quickly reopened. The stand-offs with police appeared almost routine. No doubt police on duty here in St. Paul this week took part in riot training. (Protesters Detained Near RNC | Read: Protests Turn Violent Amid RNC's Open)

But that was just the beginning of an afternoon where I found myself blinded by the effects of tear gas and trapped inside a protest group of thousands.

That particular duel between police and protesters started at the intersection of Kellogg Boulevard and Wabasha Street, about two blocks from where RNC delegates started their official business on the first day of their convention.

As I walked toward the stand-off, I heard the loud beating of drums and saw police standing strong in iron-clad formation. They stood in a pose ready for battle. There were police in riot gear, police on horseback and police inside their cars.

I noticed police lined up arm and arm and starting to slowly reposition along the side of Kellogg Boulevard. They were attempting to keep the protesters off the street.

The protesters were undeterred, though. They kept moving along Kellogg Boulevard as much as 10 yards in front of police. I kept trying to move ahead of the 5 to 10 yards that separated the front lines of police and protesters.

Everyone moved step-by-step toward another major intersection two blocks away at Robert Street. Midway through the two-block standoff, protesters seemed to start more dramatic taunting of police with words and physical challenges.

In the video I shot, you’ll see a woman holding a single yellow flower. She moved out of the protest group toward police in riot gear. They answered with appears to be tear gas. (Police, Protesters Clash Outside RNC)

I watched that through my camera lens but quickly started to feel the effects. My eyes teared up. My forehead and cheeks began to burn. I felt a choking feeling from the gas.

For no significant reason a few hours before, I stuck several paper napkins from lunch inside my camera bag. I grabbed them to cover my mouth and nose. It was still difficult to breath. I was at least 10 to 15 yards from that confrontation.

For a moment, my fear surfaced as I wondered if I was trapped in the middle. But, as a news person, I felt compelled to stay in place. We never know when inflamed situations like this burst into full riots. I took a moment to wipe the tears from my eyes… and kept recording.

Seconds later, I watched through my camera as another young protester taunted police. He surged once but retreated. He surged again but was captured in the grips of police.

For the next five to 10 minutes, protesters rallied. They pulled barricades into the street and stopped cars at that intersection of Robert and Kellogg. I turned quickly to see one passing car hit with what appeared to be green paint. I’m not clear who threw that.

No, this was not the out-of-control protests from the 1960s. But it was a highly tense time for St. Paul Monday… and a scary time to be a reporter caught in the middle.

Oddly enough, just hours before, a co-worker said a police officer told her that “the city is in chaos.” At the time, I chuckled. After my experience, I should have taken the warning more seriously.