Tampa, FL – On Feb. 13 the Committee to Stop FBI Repression-Tampa held a sign-holding in support of Rasmea Odeh during the National Week of Action to Defend Rasmea Odeh.

Members of CSFR-Tampa, Tampa Bay SDS and Raices en Tampa gathered on the corner of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue during rush hour holding signs that said, “Solidarity is not a crime,” and “Justice for Sami AlArian, Sami Osmakac and Rasmea Odeh.”

Jessica Schwartz, organizer with CSFR-Tampa, spoke of the importance to organize around Odeh’s case: “Rasmea was found guilty for trumped-up immigration charges. This is based on her immigration application, where she supposedly omitted her imprisonment in Palestine over 40 years ago. She was eventually released, but only after enduring torture and rape until confessing to a crime she did not commit. This is strictly a political move to silence Palestinians and activists. We stand in solidarity with Rasmea and all political prisoners.”

While holding signs, members handed out flyers for their upcoming information panel to passing cars. The most notable moment of the evening was when a Dynamic charter bus opened its door and the driver asked for more information on Rasmea, her case, upcoming events and a stack of flyers to hand out to the passengers. As the bus drove away, the driver of the bus put his fist up.

CSFR-Tampa continues to organize around political repression and will be hosting a panel, State Repression and the War on Terror on Feb. 21, featuring Mick Kelly of the Anti-War 23, Cassia Laham from POWIR and organizer of the annual #ShutDownGitmo and Dr. Shibly of the Council on American–Islamic Relations.

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