Minneapolis, MN – People crowded into the Anti-War Committee office May 18 when the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) revealed a [cache of FBI papers](http://www.stopfbi.net/2011/5/18/secret-fbi-documents-reveal-attack-democratic-rights-anti-war-and-international-solidarity) left behind after a raid on an apartment in September 2010. The documents include interrogation questions for agents to use on activists and details of the weaponry used for the Sept. 24, 2010 raid. Since that day, 23 people – all involved in peace and international solidarity movements – were subpoenaed to a grand jury in Chicago. All have refused to testify.
ADAPT members say, “I'd rather go to jail than die in a nursing home!”
St. Paul, MN – On May 11, members of ADAPT Minnesota and up to 20 of their supporters challenged politicians to not accept any of the Republicans’ health and human services cuts to people with disabilities. While the supporters stood outside the Senate chamber doors with signs, four members from ADAPT MN – Galen Smith, Chris Bell, Nikki Villavicencio-Tollison and Darrell Paulsen – went to the senate gallery intending to send a clear message to the politicians below. As soon as the session’s gavel struck down, the four ADAPT members shouted, “I'd rather go to jail than die in a nursing home!” The session came to a halt while the four were briefly detained and removed from the gallery.
Chicago, IL- In a press conference held May 13, City College faculty and students joined forces with community activists to protest attacks coming down on the colleges from the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Cheryl Hyman. Professor Jessi Choe of Wright College announced plans to protest at the inauguration of incoming mayor Rahm Emanuel, Monday, May 16 at 9:30 a.m. Marching from Roosevelt University to Millennium Park, they will demand the trustees hold public hearings so students, workers and the community have their voices heard.
Bank returns money, government involvement alleged
On Friday, May 6th, the bank accounts of Hatem and Naima Abudayyeh of Chicago were frozen. The bank manager at the TCF (Twin Cities Federal) branch could not explain what had happened but stated that the Bank Security Act prevented him from releasing any assets.
Chicago, IL – An anti-bargaining bill disguised as an education reform bill has passed through the Illinois Senate and moved on to the Illinois House of Representatives. This bill called SB7, includes many components that will take away the Chicago Teachers Union’s (CTU) bargaining rights and rights to strike.
Call-in campaign to Office of Foreign Assets Control announced
Chicago, IL – More information trickled out to the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) and Chicago’s Coalition for People’s Rights (CPR), May 9, about the previous week’s freezing of the Abudayyeh family’s bank accounts. The family and supporters learned that entity behind the freeze is the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Update: Since the publication of this article, activists have learned that the U.S. Treasury Department, not the U.S. Attorney's office, is responsible for the account freezings. See this story for more details.
¡Viva el espíritu de lucha de la clase obrera de Wisconsin!
El 1ro de mayo es el día internacional de los trabajadores, un día para celebrar las luchas de la clase obrera y de los pueblos oprimidos. El 1 de mayo de 1886, en los Estados Unidos, cientos de miles de trabajadores se fueron a huelga luchando por la jornada de ocho horas. Ocho organizadores en Chicago, seis de los cuales eran inmigrantes, fueron falsamente acusados de matar a un policía y cuatro de ellos fueron ahorcados. El movimiento obrero internacional adopto el 1 de mayo como un día de lucha y es ampliamente celebrado alrededor del mundo.
Minneapolis, MN – Trade unionists, students, community and anti-war activists filled the hall at Walker Church, April 29, to celebrate International Workers Day. The event, titled, “Celebrate May Day: Standing Up In the Face of Repression,” was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Raleigh, NC – A massive crowd of 8000 teachers, youth and community members wearing red shirts swelled outside the North Carolina State Legislative Building on May 3 to protest cuts to education. The rally was organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators. Dozens of community and grassroots organizations, including the NAACP, Farm Labor Organizing Committee and Students for a Democratic Society, mobilized to show their support for public school teachers and to defend education from attack by right-wing legislators.
Minneapolis, MN – Members and supporters of the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression participated in the Heart of the Beast Annual Mayday Parade and festival, receiving an enthusiastic response. Committee members carried a giant puppet of an FBI agent and dressed as witches, symbolizing the FBI and grand jury witch hunt that is being waged against anti-war and international solidarity activists. The parade is a longstanding community event.
Chicago, IL – In building for May Day 2011 events, Tom Burke with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) says, “Anti-war and international solidarity activists are joining events across the country celebrating International Workers’ Day. We are gathering signatures to the ‘Pledge To Resist,’ supporting activists who face government repression today. We plan to reach hundreds, maybe thousands of people this weekend and ask them to take a stand against political repression.”
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people picketed and carried banners outside the FBI building here, April 19, to show support for activists still facing repression from the FBI. Since September 24, 2010, when the FBI raided people’s homes and the office of the Anti-War Committee, there has been continued FBI harassment of the peace movement. Anti-war and international solidarity activists face the threat of renewed calls to the grand jury or indictment for ‘material support for terrorism.’
Jacksonville, FL – Students and workers converged on an outdoor mall called The Landing, here, April 15 to confront Florida Governor Rick Scott at a Tea Party event. More than 50 people attended the rally organized by Fight Back Florida, a statewide labor-student coalition formed against Scott’s vicious attacks on working families, government employee unions and public education.
Durham, NC – Congressman David Price of North Carolina’s 4th district has written a letter of concern to Attorney General Eric Holder about the FBI raids on anti-war activists. It is the third such letter by members of Congress about the case. Representatives Keith Ellison (Minnesota) and Danny Davis (Illinois) wrote letters earlier. Rep. Price is the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
Newark, NJ – The People's Organization for Progress held a protest at the busy Bergen Street and South Orange Avenue intersection, April 16. The call for the demo was “Gas Prices Are too Damn High!” It was a small rally but one of the noisiest ever. “If you think gas prices are too high,” said POP Chairman Lawrence Hamm over the bullhorn, “honk your horn!” Beep! Beep! Be-beep!
St Paul, MN – Protesters gathered on the front steps of the Minnesota State Capitol, April 15 with a message for state legislators and Governor Dayton: “Tax the rich. No more attacks on poor and working people.” High winds whipped a giant banner spread out across the capitol steps.
St. Paul, MN – Members of the Twin Cities based Welfare Rights Committee showed up at the Minnesota State Capitol, April 6, picketing the session of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Kim DeFranco of the Welfare Rights Committee said the purpose of the action was to “put poor bashing politicians on notice that low income people will fight them every step of the way.”
Asheville, NC – On April 2, about 80 people attended a workshop on the Sept. 24, 2010 FBI raids and grand jury repression of anti-war and solidarity activists at the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) southern regional conference here. In addition to NLG members from across the South, over two dozen community members from Asheville’s peace and justice movements came to learn about the case and to show their support for the targeted activists.
![Giant banner reading "Tax the rich" at April 15 protest](https://i.snap.as/ki9j7qbW.jpg "Giant banner reading \\"Tax the rich\\" at April 15 protest Giant banner reading \\"Tax the rich\\" at April 15 protest. \(Fight Back News!/Kim DeFranco\)")
