On July 30, Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño signed a highly controversial and sweeping new penal code into law that includes sharp restrictions on a broad range of civil liberties and rights. It’s slated to go into effect on September 1. A week after Fortuño signed it, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit to stop the new law, calling it unconstitutional. “The statute is evidently intended to suppress speech, to stop people from protesting against government policies,” William Ramirez, local ACLU director, said in the Washington Post.
Salt Lake City, UT – A dozen activists gathered at the Federal Building here, July 31, to demand the release of the Tinley Park 5. The Tinley Park 5 are anti-racist activists who were arrested and jailed after an alleged altercation with a white supremacy group, in Tinley Park – a suburb of Chicago.
Fight Back News Service urges your organization to sign the following statement from the Committee Against Political Repression in support of political activists who have been subpoenaed to appear before a Seattle Grand Jury. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is also supporting this effort. To add your group’s name to the solidarity statement, please email: [email protected].
Chicago, IL – NATO opponents are accusing State's Attorney Anita Alvarez of severely distorted priorities after her office steered a grand jury to reinstate charges against NATO protester Danny Johnson, whose case was thrown out by a judge at a preliminary hearing in May for lack of probable cause. Johnson was then secretly indicted by the State Attorney's Office on June 29 with an additional felony charge. Johnson had originally been accused of only one count of aggravated battery of a police officer during a May 15 immigrant rights protest held in conjunction with the week of NATO-related protests. Now Johnson is charged with two counts of aggravated battery for a crime that both Johnson and eyewitnesses refute.
Minneapolis, MN – About 30 people assembled outside the Hennepin County Government Center here, August 1, to stand in solidarity with Occupy Homes’ Nick Espinosa and to demand all charges against community members involved in defending the Cruz family home be dropped. Nick Espinosa has been charged with riot in the third degree, along with other Occupy Homes activists. The charge is baseless.
Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Occupy movement won a victory in their battle against the Minneapolis city attorney’s office, July 30. Four protesters got their charges reduced to only petty misdemeanors for an October 2011 civil disobedience action at U.S. Bank. This came about despite the Minneapolis city attorney office’s efforts to escalate the charges to crack down on the use of civil disobedience in the fight against home foreclosures.
Anaheim, CA – Manuel Diaz, a 25-year old Chicano, was shot in the back and in the head by Anaheim police in the afternoon of July 21. The police killing took place in a Chicano working-class community, where most people live in apartments and where families know, get along with and hear each other. Diaz was murdered while standing in his front lawn. The police have given no reason or probable cause for attempting to stop him.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people rallied inside City Hall here, July 24 to demand all charges be dropped against members and supporters of Occupy Homes who were arrested defending the Cruz family home. In recent weeks, city prosecutors added the charge of third degree riot – a gross misdemeanor which carries a sentence of up to one year in prison and a $3000 fine – to the original trespassing charge. The 14 were arrested May 30 in a peaceful protest at the Cruz family home.
Chicago, IL – Activists from Occupy Chicago, the Chicago Committee Against Political Repression and Hammerhard Media met here, July 9, to discuss the police and FBI attacks on protests here and across the country.
Minneapolis, MN – The Minneapolis City Attorney is ramping up repression to try to stop the months-long campaign to resist the foreclosure of Alejandra and David Cruz’s family home at 4044 Cedar Avenue South. In an ominous development, at least three of the dozens of people arrested in defending the home from foreclosure are now being retroactively charged with third degree riot, obstructing legal process, disorderly conduct and presence at an unlawful assembly, in addition to their original trespass charge. The third degree riot charge alone could mean a year in jail and $3000 fine.
State’s Attorney refuses again to present evidence
Chicago, IL – Three of the young men arrested in the days before the NATO summit appeared in court here, June 12. Charged with “material support for terrorism, possession of an incendiary device and conspiracy,” Jared Chase, Brent Betterly and Brian Jacob Church have been held for nearly a month on $1.5 million bail each. They expected to be able to see the evidence against them, such as police reports, a search warrant and an affidavit.
Minneapolis, MN – Leslie Feinberg was arrested the evening of June 4, amidst hundreds of Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald supporters protesting outside of the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility.
Fight Back News service is circulating the following call to action from the Committee Stop FBI Repression. Joe Iosbaker is one of the anti-war and international solidarity activists targeted by the FBI and was one of the organizers of the 15,000 person anti-NATO protest in Chicago.
Chicago, IL – While the eyes of the world are on Chicago and the upcoming NATO summit, 40 protesters spoke out May 16 against the FBI frame-up of Carlos Montes, demanding the charges against him be dropped. Montes is a prominent Los Angeles Chicano civil rights and immigrant rights activist and a leader in the anti-war movement.
African American woman gets 20 years for firing warning shot to ward off abuser
Jacksonville, FL – On May 11, students from the civil rights group Dream Defenders protested at the sentencing hearing of Marissa Alexander, a young black woman who was convicted of aggravated assault stemming from an episode in 2010 where she fired a warning shot at her abusive ex-husband Rico Gray, who had previously beaten her.
Minneapolis, MN – Supporters of Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald delivered a petition with over 12,000 signatures and a letter signed by 35 local, state and national organizations directly to Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman’s office April 17, demanding that he drop the two second-degree murder charges levied against McDonald. Family members had earlier requested a meeting with the County Attorney Freeman, but he refused to meet with them.
