Provo, UT – On October 23, FBI agent Mitchell Kutterer knocked on the door of Venna Burkhardt, a leader of the grassroots organization People of Provo Against ICE (PoPAI).

Burkhardt was not home at the time, but her roommate confirmed that she lived there. The FBI gave the roommate an information card with the name and number of the agent but was unsuccessful in getting the roommate to answer other questions. The agent was not let inside. Burkhardt stated of the encounter, “Where’s my freedom of speech?”

On the same day, activist Collin Grannis had his door knocked on by FBI agent Nick Zollinger and his partner. His roommate answered the door. The roommate got the contact information from them, and the pair of agents left.

Then later, after the visit to Grannis’ apartment, Chase Barrett arrived home to find a pair of agents sitting inside. His parents had let them in before he was around. Grannis states, “As a result of my involvement with the local grassroots movement People of Provo Against ICE, I was approached by two FBI agents at my home.”

The FBI’s investigations into People of Provo Against ICE are meant to intimidate activists. Protesting is not a crime, and PoPAI will not stop fighting back against ICE.

Chrisley Carpio, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression states, “Activists should not talk to the FBI. We need to meet them with a wall of silence.”

#ProvoUT #UT #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #FBI #StopFBI #CSFR #ImmigrantRights #Featured