Minneapolis, MN – About 100 people joined a protest here, Sept. 24, at the Federal Building, to demand an end to the three year federal investigation of anti-war and international solidarity activists that began with FBI raids and grand jury subpoenas on Sept. 24, 2010.

A delegation from the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression delivered a letter, signed by academics, trade union leaders and other progressives to the U.S Attorneys office inside the federal building. The letter demanded an end to in investigation.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office is alleging “material support for terrorism.”

Jess Sundin, a prominent anti-war leader whose home was raided by the FBI, told the crowd, “Three years ago, they busted through our front doors, armed with battering rams, search warrants and grand jury subpoenas and they turned our lives upside-down. Treating us like terrorists and the entire anti-war movement like some kind of criminal enterprise, the government set out to silence all of us and clear the way for war. Thanks to 23 grand jury resisters and thousands of supporters they failed. We are walking around free, speaking out against the agenda of war for empire and standing united against political repression.”

Sundin also stated, “I never imagined that I would live for three years under a cloud of suspicion, as a subject of an endlessly ongoing investigation. In its latest statement, the U.S. attorney’s office says, ‘there are no public criminal cases stemming from the investigation.’ It seems clear enough that criminal indictments might already be there, under seal, just waiting for the right political moment to bring them out. We are here today to show that there will never be an easy time to take us, that our friends in the people’s movements will never stand by quietly while we are locked away like criminals for opposing the crimes of U.S. wars.”

Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee stated, “While our government kills poor and working people in other countries and calls that justice, we call it terrorism. While the activist community stands up and brings home about what our government is doing to the poor and working people in other countries our government wants to call that terrorism. The government had tried to silence our movement but we did not allow that to happen. We stood up and fought back and resisted. We at the Welfare Rights Committee will continue to stand and support our sisters and brothers who were targeted by the FBI.”

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