Joan Walsh, a Durham resident and member of the Triangle Committee to Stop FBI Repression, commented, “The letter is carefully but strongly worded, and coming from a highly-respected Congressman such as Mr. Price, should contribute to the swift termination of this unwarranted infringement on the rights of peaceful, conscientious activists. We wish to thank the Congressman for sending this letter and hope to continue working with him and others to end such abuses.”

In the letter, Rep. Price refers to the fact that the subpoenaed activists have not been informed of the potential charges against them or the specific focus of the investigation. The letter highlights the lack of openness by the Department of Justice and the FBI in this investigation, and urges Attorney General Holder to “resolve the matter in a timely and transparent manner.”

Price also cited the Department of Justice Inspector General report from September 2010, which found that FBI offices had conducted surveillance and spying on anti-war activists who had no links to any federal crimes. Rep. Price told Attorney General Holder that his constituents are concerned that the activists are being targeted for their political views. The letter to Attorney General Holder also expresses Price’s constituents’ concern about the chilling effect of the FBI’s actions on the broader movements for social justice in the United States.

“We urge activists to contact their Congressional representatives now about writing similar letters to President Obama and Attorney General Holder,” said Tom Burke, a coordinator of legislative work with the national Committee to Stop FBI Repression. “Congressman David Price’s letter is just the latest example of the growing movement to stop the grand jury and FBI repression of the anti-war and solidarity movements.”

Further information about work with Senators and Congress members around the September 24 FBI raids can be found at http://www.stopfbi.net/resources/legislators. Activists who want help in obtaining similar letters from their Congressional representatives should contact Richard Berg or Lucia Wilkes.

Full text of the letter, dated April 5, 2011:

The Honorable Eric Holder

Attorney General

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Dear Attorney General Holder:

I am writing to convey the concerns of my constituents regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) investigation of several individuals and organizations associated with anti-war activism.

As you are aware, on September 24, 2010, the FBI conducted searches of seven homes and an office building in Minneapolis and Chicago and issued subpoenas to 23 individuals in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. According to firsthand reports, the FBI also visited the homes of individuals in Milwaukee, San Jose, and Durham, North Carolina – which I represent in Congress – to question them in relation to the investigation. Although the FBI has refused to comment publicly about the investigation, media reports have cited documents indicating that the case is focused on potential violations of federal laws prohibiting the provision of material support to terrorist organizations. To my knowledge, however, none of the individuals who received subpoenas or were questioned in the case have been informed of the potential charges against them or the specific focus of the investigation.

Several of my constituents have expressed concerns that the Bureau might be targeting these individuals and organizations because of their political views rather than their direct connection to a federal criminal investigation, citing a Department of Justice Inspector General report which found that FBI field offices have at times conducted law enforcement activities against domestic anti-war activists without evident links to a federal crime. In addition to their concern for the rights of the individuals in this particular case, my constituents are worried about the potential “chilling effect” that such investigations could have on the protected free speech rights of domestic activists.

I am not in a position to judge whether or not these concerns are warranted, and I understand that the Department cannot comment on an ongoing criminal investigation. However, any information you can provide about the status of this investigation or the timeline for its conclusion, consistent with all applicable laws and regulations, would be greatly appreciated. I am sure you will agree that it is in the Department’s interest to resolve this matter in a timely and transparent manner, in order to counter any perception that the FBI has acted inappropriately.

I appreciate your attention to this issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Asher Hildebrand of my staff at (202) 225-1784 if you would like to discuss it further.

Sincerely,

David Price

Member of Congress

#DurhamNC #DavidPrice #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

“We are disappointed that David Price defended his vote for H.R. 34 – a resolution which gave full diplomatic, moral and political support to Israel while it was actively killing hundreds of Palestinian civilians,” said Kosta Harlan, a member of SDS who attended the meeting with Representative Price. “That resolution effectively gave Israel a green light from the U.S. Congress to go ahead with their massacres of Palestinians. Price should be ashamed.”

While Representative Price expressed sympathy with many of SDS’s concerns on the resolution and the U.S. support for Israeli war crimes, he said nothing to suggest that he will vote against the Israeli lobby in the future. “He gave us no indication that he would educate himself about the real issues,” commented SDS activist Linda Gomaa, “so we’re going to have to continue holding him accountable for his decisions.”

Following the meeting with Representative Price, two dozen students and community activists held a rally and press conference outside Price’s office before delivering a petition with over 250 signatures condemning Congressman Price for his vote on H.R. 34 and demanding that he end U.S. political and economic support for Israeli war crimes. Members of Students for a Democratic Society, Fight Imperialism Stand Together and Veterans for Peace spoke at the rally.

#ChapelHillNC #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #News #DavidPrice #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Palestine #GazaWar #MiddleEast

Chapel Hill, NC – Over the past week, hundreds of students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took action in protest of the Israeli invasion of Gaza. Student organizers began planning events as soon as the Israeli bombing of Gaza started three weeks ago, and were prepared to mobilize students when classes began this week.

On Wednesday January 14, a candlelight vigil to honor those killed by the Israeli invasion of Gaza drew a crowd of over 250. 1,000 candles lit up the Pit, a central area on campus, while students from Solidarity with Palestine through Education and Action at Carolina (SPEAC), the Arab Students Organization (ASO), and the Muslim Students Association (MSA) gave speeches, read poems, and reflected on the on-going massacre of Palestinians by the IDF. Those gathered sang a Michael Heart song written during the current crisis, “We Will Not Go Down (Song for Gaza)”.

“We know that the first attacks began during the day when offices were full of civilians and children were walking home from school,” said Hala Borno, a Palestinian member of SPEAC, as she denounced the brutality of the Israeli attacks. “There are countless scarring images of innocent women and children buried under mounds of rubble from freshly bombed buildings, or with burned faces due to weapons that use white phosphorus. Those who survive the bombings find themselves in hospitals severely deprived of supplies due the lengthy and crippling blockades on Gaza. And this humanitarian crisis has only worsened.”

The next day, Thursday, over 500 students packed into a crowded conference room for a discussion called “Understanding Gaza.” A panel of professors and Palestinian and Jewish activists discussed various aspects of the crisis, and then a question and answer session continued until well after the building was supposed to have been closed for the night. Students and professors expressed their outrage over the massacres of Palestinians and many asked questions about what they could do to protest. At the teach-in, Ben Carroll of Students for a Democratic Society urged the audience to take action on the issue by joining with SDS and other student groups in delivering a petition to Congressman David Price's office.

On Friday morning, a delegation of students from SDS delivered over 150 petition signatures and a letter of demands to Congressman Price's staff at the Chapel Hill office. Only a week earlier Congressman Price voted for House Resolution 34, which affirms complete support for the Israeli aggression against Gaza and places blame for the conflict solely on Hamas' shoulders.

The SDS petition said, “Your vote in support of Israel's continued attack on Gaza on Friday, January 8, 2009 showed a willingness to further the occupation and the devastation of the Palestinian people, who have already suffered due to decades of U.S. foreign policy.” It also stated, “As the current economic crisis continues to ruin the livelihoods of millions of people in the U.S., we demand that you support funding human needs rather than endless war and occupation.”

The protestors vow to continue raising pressure on Representative Price and other elected officials to expose U.S. support and complicity in Israeli war crimes and demand that they do everything in their power to bring about a ceasefire and unconditional, immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Rallies and educational activities are planned for next week, both at UNC and in the Chapel Hill community.

#ChapelHillNC #AntiwarMovement #DavidPrice #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #Palestine