Rockford, IL – Laverne Huggins, Mary Sargent and L’seandra Anderson of AFSCME Local 473 lead an informational picket of close to 200 workers at the Zeke Georgi State Office Building in Rockford, Illinois. Workers are protesting Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s announcement that he would not honor the collective bargaining agreement negotiated with state workers.
Minneapolis, MN – Cynthia McKinney, former six-term member of the House of Representatives, and Sara Flounders, co-director of the International Action Center, spoke to a packed room of over 60 supporters, July 9, at the Plymouth Congregational Church. Both gave motivating speeches for how the U.S./NATO intervention in Libya is endangering and killing the civilian population and demanded an immediate end to the war on Libya.
Los Angeles, CA – Supporters of veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes gathered on July 6 at the Alhambra courthouse in East Los Angeles. Montes appeared in court to enter a plea of not guilty to six felony charges that were filed after a SWAT team and FBI agents raided his home on May 17. More than 60 people came out to picket and rally in his defense at the court and packed the courtroom during the hearing.
Chicago, IL – Over 1500 LGBTQ folks came out to march at Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood for the annual Dyke March on June 25. This was the second year at South Shore, a predominantly African-American neighborhood, as organizers have rotated locations for the past several years in efforts to expand to the larger queer community outside of the historic Boystown and Andersonville neighborhoods of Chicago.
Fight Back News Service is circulating this call to action from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Carlos Montes, of Los Angeles, has been a progressive activist for decades, most recently with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. At the behest of the FBI, Los Angeles sheriffs violently raided Montes’ home on May 17, seizing crates of political items unrelated to the charges. Montes goes to court on trumped up charges on July 6. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is organizing a national movement to defend him.
Del Norte County, CA – On July 1, prisoners in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at California's Pelican Bay State Prison started an indefinite hunger strike to protest the cruel, inhumane and tortuous conditions of their imprisonment. The hunger strike has been organized by prisoners in an unusual show of unity across prison-manufactured racial and geographical lines.
“We’ve got to stay strong and be ready for whatever the government throws at us next.”
Fight Back! interviewed Jess Sundin, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, on the latest developments in the case of the anti-war and international solidarity activists who were raided by the FBI and who received subpoenas to appear in front of the Chicago grand jury headed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Sundin is among those whose home was raided Sept. 24, 2010. The editors of Fight Back! urge our readers to forward this important interview as broadly as possible.
Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) had a big presence at the annual Minneapolis LGBTQ Pride parade this year. A lively CSFR contingent participated in the annual parade down Hennepin Avenue to Loring Park on June 25. Thousands of flyers about FBI and grand jury repression against anti-war activists were handed out to the crowds at the CSFR information booth all day Saturday and Sunday and over 250 new people signed the pledge to resist if any activists are indicted or jailed in the ongoing witch hunt.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following letter and resolution from the United National Antiwar Committee (UNAC). We urge all of our readers to join in this effort.
Oakland, CA – About 75 people came to the June 16 rally here to denounce the arrest of Carlos Montes in Los Angeles, and the grand jury subpoenas which are being resisted by 23 other anti-war and international solidarity activists in the Midwest.
Minneapolis, MN – Responding to President Obama’s June 22 national televised speech on Afghanistan, Meredith Aby of the Twin Cites based Anti War Committee stated, “The U.S. needs to get out of Afghanistan now.” Aby was one of the main organizers of the massive anti-war march on the opening day of the 2008 Republican National Convention and she is one of the 23 peace and international solidarity activists who have been subpoenaed to appear in front of the Chicago grand jury investigating ‘material support for terrorism.’ The grand jury, headed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, is attempting to criminalize anti-war activism.
Gainesville, FL – A dozen protesters gathered here, June 16, to speak out against the political repression of Carlos Montes, a longtime immigrant and Chicano rights activist. The rally was put on by the Gainesville Committee to Stop FBI Repression and took place in front of the local FBI office. Carlos Montes’ home was raided by Los Angeles sheriffs and the FBI on May 17 and he is facing trumped up charges. The raid on his home is linked to the raids on other anti-war and international solidarity activists that started on Sept. 24, 2010.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 protesters gathered in front of the FBI offices here, June 16, to demand that the charges be dropped against veteran Los Angles Chicano activist Carlos Montes. Protest organizers blasted the growing attacks by the FBI and other police agencies on anti-war, international solidarity and progressive political activists.
Los Angeles, CA – Video of veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes speaking after his June 16 Court appearance. Montes talks about the LA Sheriffs and FBI raid on his home, legal developments in the case, and how his case is an extension of the repression that is being employed against anti war and international solidarity activists in other parts of the United States.
Chicago, IL – Over 3000 teachers, healthcare workers, janitors and community activists descended on the corporate leaders meeting here, June 14 outside the Midwest CEO/CFO conference. The protesters demanded jobs, homes and schools.
Madison, WI – In his latest attempt at smashing unions, derailing public education and further punishing the working class for the economic crisis, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker called together an ‘Extraordinary Session,’ June 14, so that right-wing legislators can ram through his proposed two-year budget. The new budget will slash funding for public education, make large cuts to social services and local governments and pave the way for more privatization.
Milwaukee, WI – On June 8, representatives of Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the Nation of Islam held a panel discussion on the current conflict in Libya.
![Minneapolis protest demands "Hands off Libya."](https://i.snap.as/8HubOv43.jpg "Minneapolis protest demands \\"Hands off Libya.\\" Minneapolis protest demands \\"Hands off Libya.\\" \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)")
