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March 8 call-in day: Stop the grand jury witch hunt

By Committee to Stop FBI Repression

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression urging participation in the March 8 national call in day to stop FBI and Grand Jury attacks on anti-war and international solidarity activists.

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY to Fitzgerald, Holder and Obama

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Grand Jury is still on its witch-hunt and the FBI is still harassing activists. This must stop.

Please make these calls:

  1. Call U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald at 312-353-5300. Then dial 0 (zero) for operator and ask to leave a message with the Duty Clerk.
  2. Call U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder 202-353-1555
  3. Call President Obama at 202-456-1111

Suggested text: “My name is __________, I am from _______(city), in ______(state). I am calling _____ to demand he call off the Grand Jury and stop FBI repression against the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movements. I oppose U.S. government political repression and support the right to free speech and the right to assembly of the 23 activists subpoenaed. We will not be criminalized. Tell him to stop this McCarthy-type witch hunt against international solidarity activists!”

If your call doesn’t go through, try again later.

Update: 800 anti-war and international solidarity activists participated in four regional conferences, in Chicago, IL; Oakland, CA; Chapel Hill, NC and New York City to stop U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s Grand Jury repression.

Still, in the last few weeks, the FBI has continued to call and harass anti-war organizers, repressing free speech and the right to organize. However, all of their intimidation tactics are bringing a movement closer together to stop war and demand peace.

We demand:

Background: Fitzgerald ordered FBI raids on anti-war and solidarity activists' homes and subpoenaed fourteen activists in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Michigan on September 24, 2010. All 14 refused to speak before the Grand Jury in October. Then, 9 more Palestine solidarity activists, most Arab-Americans, were subpoenaed to appear at the Grand Jury on January 25, 2011, launching renewed protests. There are now 23 who assert their right to not participate in Fitzgerald’s witch-hunt.

The Grand Jury is a secret and closed inquisition, with no judge, and no press. The U.S. Attorney controls the entire proceedings and hand picks the jurors, and the solidarity activists are not allowed a lawyer. Even the date when the Grand Jury ends is a secret.

So please make these calls to those in charge of the repression aimed against anti-war leaders and the growing Palestine solidarity movement.

Email us to let us know your results. Send to [email protected]

**Please sign and circulate our 2011 petition at http://www.stopfbi.net/petition

In Struggle,

Tom Burke,

for the Committee to Stop FBI Repression

FFI: Visit www.StopFBI.net or email [email protected] or call 612-379-3585.

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