Schwartz found another card stuck in a car window on the driveway and she says, “My brother let me know the FBI left a message on our home phone asking me to contact FBI Special Agent Fears for an interview. I have no intention of speaking to the FBI, but I did contact the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and a lawyer.”

Schwartz is a leader in the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR)-Tampa, one of the most active local groups in the country. Schwartz travels to the court dates of Palestinian icon Rasmea Odeh in other cities, and leads local solidarity rallies. She recently spoke about Rasmea Odeh to 70 people at a protest in Miami to close Guantanamo prison.

The U.S. government is targeting 68-year-old Rasmea Odeh because of her lifelong support for Palestine. After living and organizing in Chicago for 20 years, Odeh is awaiting an appeal decision. Odeh’s case is also linked directly to the Anti-war 23.

The FBI raided 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists in September of 2010. The subpoenas to a grand jury in Chicago claimed to be investigating “material support for terrorism” in Colombia and Palestine. The Anti-war 23 refused to appear at the witch hunt, and a new movement against political repression was born with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

In the course of the 2010 FBI raids, the FBI lost a file that contained, among other things, interrogation questions for members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The file became public and it revealed the FBI’s political agenda. Young activists like Schwartz joined the FRSO despite the repression.

Political repression is not a new phenomenon in Tampa either. Tampa is where Professor Sami Al-Arian went on hunger strike against one of the first cases of political repression under the Bush administration. FBI and Homeland Security harassment of Muslims, Arab Americans and anti-war activists is particularly notorious in Tampa, with police bragging about it following the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Schwartz underscored, “Nothing good can come out of talking to the FBI. They are the political police. They are not going to help you or our movements for peace and justice. Their job is to serve and protect the rich and powerful. So don’t talk to them, just say, ‘No thanks.’ Then hang up, close the door, or walk away.”

#TampaFl #PeoplesStruggles #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #Florida #PoliticalRepression #CSFR #JessicaSchwartz

The Saint Paul house raid was one of several police actions taken against protesters days before the RNC began, including the search and seizure of a central political meeting space, which is also the subject of pending litigation.

“The City of Saint Paul and the federal government were forced to pay for their politically-motivated attack on organizers,” said Sarah Coffey, one of the plaintiffs. “Rather than spend years in court fighting the government over its political surveillance program, we decided to use settlement money to invest in projects that oppose such repressive tactics.”

The lawsuit, which was filed in August 2009 and accused the Saint Paul Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of violating plaintiffs' First, Fourth and Fourteenth amendment rights, is so far the largest settlement of its kind stemming from the convention protests. “We hope this sends a message to law enforcement officials who would enter homes illegally or suppress political dissent,” said Coffey, “there is a cost to their actions.”

The raid garnered significant media attention at the time due to an hours-long standoff between 10 activists and residents and a heavily armed police force that had surrounded the duplex. Because the police attempted to raid the home without a search warrant, those inside refused them entry. After allegedly getting verbal authority from a local judge, the police used force to enter 949 Iglehart Avenue and detained everyone inside. The owner, several tenants and activists, including members of the I-Witness Video collective were detained for hours. No illegal items were found, no one was arrested and nothing was visibly seized, although computers and camera equipment were searched.

The search warrant affidavit, which was under seal until a month after the raid in a likely attempt to avoid media scrutiny, relied solely on a confidential informant who made the claim that weapons were being shipped to 951 Iglehart using the U.S. Postal Service. In a sensationalist move, the police also tried to tie property owner Michael Whalen to a defunct 1970s political group, the Symbionese Liberation Army, in order to bolster the warrant's outrageous claim of arms shipments. However, once inside 951 Iglehart, police discovered that the boxes contained only vegan literature. Unsatisfied, police broke through a locked attic door to enter the neighboring but separate 949 Iglehart, which plaintiffs claimed was the operation's true objective.

Saint Paul Police Officer David Langfellow was in charge of the operation as a cross-deputized FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) agent. Langfellow testified during a deposition that although the FBI had been surveilling the duplex for more than a week before the convention, the investigation was not targeting Whalen, the main subject of the search warrant affidavit. Langfellow either was not told or refused to reveal details about the underlying investigation, which plaintiffs speculate had nothing to do with the shipment of boxes.

Plaintiffs' attorneys also contributed a portion of the award to the Impact Fund, which provides money to small law firms and nonprofits for lawsuits involving issues of civil rights, environmental justice, and poverty.

Tom Burke of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression states, “We are grateful for the contribution to our effort to defend the anti-war and international solidarity activists who were raided by the FBI or received subpoenas to the grand jury. Last week we saw an escalation of the attacks with the LA raid on the home of immigrants’ rights leader Carlos Montes. We need all the resources we can muster.”

#StPaulMN #RepublicanNationalConvention2008 #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #2008RepublicanNationalConventionRNC #SaintPaulPoliceDepartment

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).

On May 6, Hatem Abudayyeh and his wife Naima found that they could not use their ATM card. The couple, who have a five-year old daughter, spent the Mother’s Day weekend in limbo. Hatem Abudayyeh is one of 23 activists in the Midwest subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Chicago since September 2010. Abudayyeh – a community organizer – along with the other 22 anti-war and international solidarity activists, refused to testify, recognizing that the U.S. government was starting another McCarthy-style witch hunt, trying to get organizers to testify against their movements.

According to a statement issued by the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and Chicago’s Coalition for People’s Rights, “Supporters of the Abudayyehs and the other 22 activists have learned that apparently OFAC can block your assets pending an investigation on charges of ‘material support for a foreign terrorist organization’ without a hearing. No evidence is required to freeze assets. In the case of the Abudayyeh family, assets mean money for food and rent. As this statement is written, officials won’t even acknowledge that they are the source of the freeze.”

People across the country and the world are taking action. On the morning of May 9, hundreds called the office of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the prosecutor behind the grand jury. Late in the afternoon of May 9, after learning what agency was behind the bank account freeze, organizers issued an action alert to make calls to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control May 9 and 10. The demands for both call-ins are the same: “Unfreeze the bank accounts of the Abudayyeh family. Stop repression against Palestinian, anti-war and international solidarity activists.”

Since an FBI agent infiltrated the anti-war and international solidarity activists’ groups in 2008, there have been no charges or indictments. However, the most recent statement by CSFR and CPR notes, “The freezing of the Abudayyeh family's bank accounts suggests that the danger of indictments is imminent.”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #Palestine #warOnTerror #HatemAbudayyeh #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

The press conference exposed the role of an undercover cop, going by the name of “Karen Sullivan,” who entered the anti war movement shortly before the 2008 Republican National Convention.

To date, 23 international solidarity and anti-war activists have been subpoenaed to appear in front of a grand jury in Chicago. Protests are being planned in cities across the U.S. for Jan. 25, the date that Palestine solidarity activists have been called to appear in front of the Grand Jury.

Statement by Jess Sundin at Jan 12 Press Conference

We are here today to express outrage that our democratic rights have been violated by a government operation of spying, infiltration and disruption of our anti-war movement, which was carried out over the course of at least two and half years.

In April 2008, law enforcement officer Karen Sullivan, joined the Anti-War Committee. In 2008, we were involved in organizing the anti-war marches on the first and last days of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. At that time, there was a massive security operation here which included the infiltration of the RNC Welcoming Committee. We now have it confirmed that in this same time period, we too became the subject of government investigation. The difference is that our spy made herself comfortable and decided to stay awhile, posing as a fellow anti-war activist and pretending to befriend us.

For two and a half years, Officer Sullivan participated, sometimes even serving as chairperson, in weekly AWC meetings where everyone present has a say in the decisions the committee makes. Officer Sullivan had a key to this office, a key which was later used by the FBI on September 24th, to enter and search our office, seizing our computers, financial records and other materials. For the last year or so, she assisted with the bookkeeping, and had unimpeded access to our financial records. On several occasions, Officer Sullivan gave public speeches on behalf of the AWC, including on Colombia and Palestine. Some of these speeches can be found on our website to this day. My point here is that Officer Sullivan had full-access to all the work of the Anti-War Committee – to our membership lists, our finances, our decision-making and anything else she wanted to know about us.

Even after two and a half years of this full access, there are no charges against anyone. Instead, nearly two dozen people are being dragged through an intimidating grand jury process, a fishing expedition. If there were truly criminal activity happening here, Agent Sullivan would have known all about it. The only crimes committed here were the abuses of our rights carried out by Karen Sullivan herself.

Unfortunately, Officer Sullivan took a special interest in the Anti-War Committee’s coalition work. She represented our committee at meetings of the Iraq Peace Action Coalition and the Coalition for Palestinian Rights. She also represented us in national venues – the Latin America Solidarity Coalition, at the School of the Americas Watch protests, and at the US Social Forum in Detroit last summer. About a year ago, she also joined Freedom Road Socialist Organization, which is talked about by the government in this case, in a manner reminiscent of the McCarthy era political witch hunts.

The government has no right to spy on the Anti-War Committee, or the many organizations we work with. Officer Sullivan’s actions reflect only the latest example of FBI surveillance of progressive movements in this country. These kinds of actions were described in the October 2010 Inspector General report, which documents efforts to spy on peace movement groups like the Anti-War Committee.

These actions make a mockery of our democratic rights, as outlined in the Constitution – the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of dissent, and freedom of association. Officer Sullivan went beyond simple surveillance, to become an active participant in the work of the AWC, to the point of disrupting it.

When I speak of disruption, I am referring to an August 2009 solidarity delegation to Palestine. This delegation was a fact-finding mission, where participants were to witness the conditions for Palestinians living under US-backed occupation, and to express our solidarity in a person-to-person way. Officer Sullivan made public her plans to join this delegation, she helped to promote it and fundraise for it here in our community. At the same time, she was secretly working to sabotage the trip entirely. Through her work, reports were passed onto Israeli authorities, who then barred entry to the two Minneapolis women traveling with Karen Sullivan. Her action, on behalf of the US government, deprived these women of their rights to travel, association and dissent. The government was wrong to disrupt our important and legal work against US aid to Israel.

It has become apparent to us that this delegation, and some of the fundraising work done to support it, is of great concern to the US attorney’s office in Chicago. In order to help fund the travel of the three women from Minneapolis – including Officer Sullivan – and to send a token symbol of solidarity to the Palestinian people, a series of fundraisers were organized. We were very open about our work to support the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, which is an NGO registered with the Palestinian Authority, and which is not illegal under Israeli or international law.

The Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees works for women’s equality. Their activities include support for women refugees and women political prisoners, and providing basic social services for women, including several child care centers. These women are right to be working for justice in Palestine, and there is no reason we should be criminalized for supporting them. However, that is exactly what has happened.

On September 24th, federal agents burst into our homes and turned our lives upside down. The community, fellow activists, co-workers, friends and family have all rallied around us. In fact, people we never met, from across the country have stood by us, to defend our right to engage in anti-war and international solidarity activism.

But one person disappeared entirely – a person we thought was a fellow activist and who had claimed to be our friend: Karen Sullivan. This woman not only worked with us in the Anti-War Committee and other groups, she involved herself in our personal lives. Getting to know our children, joining in birthday celebrations, paying visits on our families when someone’s sick.

In conversations with the US Attorney’s office in Chicago, it has become clear that everything we thought we knew about Karen Sullivan was a lie. She was never a friend, or a person of conscience helping us to work for peace with justice.

Instead she was a law enforcement officer, working to surveil us, our friends and our organizations. She was working to disrupt our political organizing. This is more than a story of personal betrayal, but one of political repression. It sickens me that on the word of this liar, the government came into our homes, seized our property, and launched a grand jury witch hunt that has snared not only those that knew Karen Sullivan, but now so many other good people from here to Chicago. On the word of this liar, the FBI has questioned our colleagues across the country – from North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona and California.

Rather than crumble under this pressure, our movement is responding with strength and unity. We will stand together behind every woman and man that Patrick Fitzgerald tries to haul before his grand jury. On January 25th, when nine Palestinians and Palestine solidarity activists are called before the grand jury in Chicago, people will be protesting at Federal Buildings and FBI offices across the country.

We, the anti-war and international solidarity activists being targeted by Fitzgerald, have the support of every progressive movement in this country – from trade unionists to the immigrants’ rights movement, from students to people of faith, and everyone in between. Opposing war is no crime. International solidarity is not a crime. We are not alone, we have done nothing wrong and we will not be afraid.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #InJusticeSystem #StateRepression #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

According to a statement being circulated by her supporters, Waziyatawin’s Nov. 8 speech concerned the brutal realities of the colonization of this continent’s land, its resources, and First Nations People. She also spoke of a common need to restore the environment and a way of living that is not reliant on capitalism and the destruction of nature.

The FBI agent claimed to be investigating her because of the speech, which sparked a series of letters in the Winona Post newspaper. The first letter in the newspaper, by a college student who attended the speech, accused Waziyatawin of making “terroristic threats.” He told Minnesota Public Radio that the FBI then contacted him three times about his accusations.

The accusation of “terrorist threats” seem to revolve around the fact that the speech included the phrase “by any means necessary,” and when responding to questions about violence she also allegedly said or implied that violence was likely in the struggle to win justice for Native people. Waziyatawin told Minnesota Public Radio, “When I'm talking about there will undoubtedly be violence, I'm talking about violence against the Dakota people by the state, if we work toward justice.”

At the same time Waziyatawin says she is not a pacifist, given the history of genocide and ongoing oppression against Native nations and peoples by the U.S. government. In a statement on Dec. 2 responding to the controversy over her Winona speech (before the FBI got involved), she said she does not apologize for her Winona speech, and she invoked the words of Little Crow, the leader of Dakota resistance in 1862. Her statement pointedly runs through the basic facts of genocide and ongoing oppression of the Dakota people:

Our land is still under occupation. Most of our people still live in exile. Dakota people are still prevented from practicing basic freedoms (even access to sacred sites). All of the systems and institutions to which we are subject are colonial in nature and they all prevent us from living freely as Dakota people. We hold a fraction of 1% of our original land base in Minisota and our populations would die if we had to subsist on those small parcels of land. Our populations still suffer from high rates of early mortality, suicide, and violence. We suffer tremendously from Western diseases (alcoholism, cancer, diabetes). We live in a society that continues to justify our extermination and non-existence while glorifying perpetrators of genocide and rationalizing land theft. And, we have largely, silently witnessed the destruction of our homeland through extensive mining, logging, manufacturing, energy production, industrial agriculture and animal feedlots.

Her statement goes on to quantify the destruction of the environment and lands that were stolen from the Dakota people to create the state of Minnesota.

Her point of state violence against Native people was driven home in a statement put out by her supporters: “At the time she spoke, members of the Dakota Nation were holding a Commemorative March along the route that nearly two thousand Dakota people were forcibly marched in 1862. The march route passes through Winona on its way from Lower Sioux Agency to Fort Snelling, where, over the winter of 1862-1863, those who managed to survive the march itself faced confinement, starvation, disease, rape and (for many), death.”

Waziyatawin gained public attention in 2007 when she was arrested three times for committing civil disobedience to protest the official 2008 Minnesota sesquicentennial celebration, which didn’t adequately deal with the fact that the founding of Minnesota as a state came at the expense of the Dakota people in the midst of war and horrific violence. During the sesquicentennial, Waziyatawin and other activists tried to symbolically block a commemorative wagon train en route to St. Paul. All charges were dropped against her for those arrests.

Waziyatawin has worked through lectures, speeches and classes to help non-Native people learn about the history of the U.S. government’s brutal treatment of Dakota people, and current Dakota struggles for justice. She helped inspire a group of non-Native activists to form a Dakota solidarity group, Unsettling Minnesota. Waziyatawin gave the keynote speech at the Minnesota National Lawyers Guild’s annual Social Justice dinner last year.

The FBI’s harassment of Waziyatawin doesn’t appear directly tied to the ongoing case of FBI and grand jury harassment against anti-war and international solidarity activists in Minnesota and Chicago. But activists involved see a clear connection because in both cases the FBI is working to undermine well-known progressive activists with allegations relating to ‘terrorism’ based on their speech and their ideas. At their Jan. 6 meeting, the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression endorsed a solidarity statement condemning FBI harassment of Waziyatawin.

The Twin Cities chapter of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network initiated the solidarity statement and encourages individuals and organizations to sign on. The statement is available here.

#WinonaMN #InJusticeSystem #IndigenousPeoples #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #DakotaNation #Waziyatawin

Minneapolis, MN – Activists gathered at May Day Bookstore, Nov. 9, to make signs for the emergency protest that is planned for the day after anti-war and international solidarity activists are called to appear in front of a Chicago-based grand jury. Organizers say that if news of the call to appear is received on Friday, the protest will take place at 4:30, Monday, in front of the Minneapolis Federal Building.

On Sept. 24 the homes and an office of anti-war and international solidarity activists in Minneapolis and Chicago were raided by the FBI. Activists in Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois received subpoenas to appear in front of the grand jury. All of them submitted legal documents invoking their Fifth Amendment rights and did not appear before the Grand Jury. Reports indicate the subpoenas for three Twin Cites activists will be reactivated.

Tom Burke of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression urges everyone who is working for peace and justice to organize protests the workday after the anti-war activists get the word to appear in front of the grand jury.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Detroit, MI – As part of nationwide protest actions September 27 and 28, in Detroit today a broad array of activists and community members denounced the FBI raids and harassment against members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Students for a Democratic Society at a protest rally at the McNamara Federal Building.

Hoisting placards such as “Stop FBI Raids,” “Freedom to Dissent,” and “FBI Terror Must Stop,” dozens of protesters came out in solidarity with those attacked and invaded by the FBI.

“The FBI they got it wrong. They thought they'd scare us off. They thought we wouldn't want to fight the system when we saw what they were doing to the Freedom Road, SDS and others. They thought maybe they could pick us apart, pull us away and have us all say, 'well they're just troublemakers we're not going to defend them.' Well, every progressive group in this country is coming out against the FBI, against its terror, against the agents that raided homes in Chicago and even stole kids' toys,” said Martha Grevatt, a UAW member and organizer with the Bail Out The People Movement, at the Detroit protest.

In the early morning hours of September 24 fully armed FBI swat teams invaded the homes of FRSO, SDS, the Minneapolis Anti-War Committee and other progressive activists in Minneapolis, Chicago and Grand Rapids, Michigan stealing boxes of personal and organizational effects and seizing computers, cell phones and other items. FBI agents also “visited” activists' homes or called activists in California, Milwaukee, Michigan and North Carolina in an attempt to intimidate them. No activists have been arrested yet but at least 11 thus far have been served with subpoenas notifying them to appear before grand juries in October.

The government is accusing the invaded organizations of “material support for terrorism” but representatives of SDS and FRSO categorically deny this and say the FBI is engaging in another witch hunt and fishing expedition in an effort to fracture and divide the international progressive movement.

Demonstrations, press conferences and other protest actions are erupting across the United States from coast to coast since the raids and over 30 were held on September 28 and 29 alone. Activists are also using many communication mediums including videos, blogs, and email appeals to help defend those attacked by the FBI.

The demands of protesters are: Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists; Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.; and End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.

“The FBI is doing this to intimidate us but it's backfiring because people all over the country are coming together to say 'no to this witch hunt, no we're not going back to McCarthyism.' We know COINTELPRO is still alive and we fought it for decades and we're going to fight it now. We're going to stand up to the FBI's oppression and we're 'gonna push them back,” said Grevatt.

‘FBI off our backs: Enough attacks!’

At the Detroit protest as the crowd chanted, “FBI off our backs: Enough attacks,” “Solidarity is not a crime: From Colombia to Palestine,” and other slogans, Mr. Dawud Walid, Executive Director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), spoke to this reporter.

“I’m here to defend the 1st amendent and for the freedom of speech and of association. The recent raids that took place on peace activists are basically amounting to a witch hunt to chill the 1st amendment rights of Americans,” said Walid who is well-known internationally for defending Arabs, Muslims and others under attack from the U.S. government and is a leader of those seeking justice for Imam Luqman Ameen Abdullah who was murdered by the FBI in Dearborn, Michigan on October 28, 2009.

Said Walid, “Now, ironically, one week ago the Department of Justice Inspector General released a report saying the FBI had been improperly targeting and surveilling peace activists. And we see that the FBI are attempting to intimidate and chill the activities of peace activists that are against the mainstream status quo in terms of the U.S.’ policy, in terms of Palestine and Colombia. The diminishing of the constitutional rights of one group of people places a danger on the rights of all Americans. That’s why I’m out here today.”

At the Detroit action, representatives from a broad array of progressive organizations in Metro Detroit participated including Solidarity, the Green Party, the United Auto Workers (UAW), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the National Lawyer's Guild, the Auto Worker’s Caravan, Moratorium NOW! Coalition, Bail Out the People Movement, UAW’s Pride at Work, Peace Action Michigan, Detroit People's Task Force, Workers World Party, Labor Notes, International Action Center and Labor Exchange.

Numerous members of the protest sponsor, the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI), also spoke out at the Detroit protest.

“We have a right here in the United States to stand up and say we oppose what our government is doing all over the world. They rob hundreds of billions of dollars every year from us for the death machine, for the war machine. And all they don’t use for death and destruction they turn over to the bankers and multinational corporations to oppress us, to exploit us and we have a right to speak out against these unjust policies just like our sisters and brothers who were raided by the FBI. They have a right to speak out against what the federal government is doing and we must support and be in solidarity with them, “ said Abayomi Azikiwe of MECAWI.

International solidarity makes us strong!

At the Detroit protest rally, persons of many nationalities participated and protest organizers received various communications from those who couldn’t attend. The messages express solidarity for those attacked by the FBI.

Amolak Singh, General Secretary, of LOK MORCHA (Peoples' Front) Punjab (INDIA), sent a solidarity statement to MECAWI on September 26 after receiving an email from this organization about the September 28 protest rally.

“LOK MORCHA, a democratic revolutionary organization of the struggling people of Punjab, wedded to anti-imperialism & anti-feudalism, strongly condemns the FBI raids on Anti-war and solidarity activists in the U.S. The U.S.-rulers, aided and abetted by corporate giants and at their behest are waging unjust and aggressive wars against the people of various countries in the world, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Latin-American countries, to plunder their natural resources and wealth,” wrote Singh.

Added Singh, “In the garb of war-on-terrorism, the U.S. -rulers have in fact launched a war against their own people as well as the people of the world. They are crushing the democratic rights of the American people. It deserves strongest condemnation. Although being thousands of kilometers away from you, we cannot physically join you in this dark hour, but we will espouse your cause amongst the people of India and expose the perfidy of U.S. rulers.”

And the San Francisco Labor Council on September 27 unanimously passed the resolution, “Condemn FBI Raids on Trade Union, Anti-War and Solidarity Activists.”

Protests are ongoing to fight this most serious attack on the entire international progressive movement by the U.S. government, capitalist corporations and the banks.

For more information, updates, information on protests and more: www.antiwarcommittee.org, www.fightbacknews.org, www.studentsforademocraticsociety.org, www.iacenter.org.

Bryan G. Pfeifer is a member of MECAWI, www.mecawi.org.

Article may be reproduced in whole or in part provided full attribution is given to author.

#DetroitMI #AntiwarMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Newark, NJ – A protest against FBI repression of international solidarity and anti-war activists took place on Sept. 28 at the Federal Building on Broad Street in Newark, NJ. Between 15 and 20 people turned out, an encouraging number given the short notice and the absence of local media coverage of the Sept. 24 FBI raids.

Protesters circled in front of the building with homemade signs and chants made up on the spot, like “FBI we’re not afraid, we will stop your illegal raid,” and “Free speech is not a crime.” The old favorite, “They say get back, we say fight back!” was also heard. They demanded the grand jury proceedings against raid victims be stopped. The Sep. 27 resolution of the San Francisco Labor Council in support of the victims was distributed.

Police officers stood between the protest and the building, showing the way the government receives the people’s just demands. Literally thousands of rush-hour passersby saw the protest.

The rally was endorsed by the People’s Organization for Progress, the International Action Center, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization, all of which had members present. Other organizations present included Radical Women/Freedom Socialist Party and New York City Labor against the War. Community activists from Newark and nearby also came out. People had heard of the protest through progressive media, e-mail, and the internet. The broad, rapid, self-reliant, and unified people’s response to FBI repression showed the government has bitten off a much bigger mouthful in the 9/24 raids than it ever counted on.

#NewarkNJ #AntiwarMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Chicago, IL – 500 people picketed and chanted outside Chicago FBI Headquarters to protest the FBI raids, harassment, and intimidation of anti-war and solidarity activists, and to show support for the three Chicago activists targeted by the September 24 raids. Among the crowd were trade unionists, students, anti-war and Palestine solidarity activists, all outraged by the FBI raids. Stephanie Weiner and Joe Iosbaker, whose home was raided last Friday morning and are two of the twelve people handed subpoenas, were at the protest, joined by their son Tre.

This was one protest out of over 35 happening this week across the country in response to the raids, and was organized by the newly-formed Committee Against Political Repression (CAPR), which calls the raids as a “larger federal assault on anti-war activists, solidarity workers and people committed to peace with justice in the U.S. and abroad.”

“For twelve hours, up to 25 agents searched our home from top to bottom, pouring through every piece of paper, gathered through our long years of political activity,” said Joe Iosbaker. “They searched our music collection. Three agents spent an hour or more in the rooms of our two teenage sons, looking at their notebooks from school, the poetry written in high school.”

Stephanie Weiner stressed that the raids were designed to “intimidate, silence, and divide” the anti-war and solidarity movements. “What the people here understand is that this is a serious situation. And we also understand that it has been an honor for all of us to dedicate our lives to peace and justice, and to speak out and organize others to speak out against the U.S. wars and occupations around the world.”

There were close to a dozen other speakers at the rally, including Stan Willis of the National Conference of Black Lawyers, Jim Fennerty of the National Lawyers Guild, Ahmed Rehab from CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), Dr. Hatem Galal from the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and Dan Dale from Wellington United Church of Christ.

Doug Michel, a member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Chicago-Illinois, also spoke. Michel was at the home of SDS member Tracy Molm in the Twin Cities, whose apartment was raided on Sept. 24 by the FBI.

“SDS denounces the FBI raids, calls for an end to repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists, to immediately return all confiscated materials, and end the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists,” said Michel. “These raids will not stop our work. We will continue to organize for the National Day of Action to Defend Education on Oct. 7th, and for the Midwest regional anti-war demonstration on Oct. 16th.”

Protesters say they will continue to stand behind those targeted by the raids, and to continue voicing their opposition to U.S. wars, occupations, and interventions in Palestine, Colombia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Coming from a Muslim and Palestinian background, I wasn’t shocked by news of the raids. I hear about the murders and repression of my people every day,” said Alaa Saleh, a member of the Wright College chapter of SDS, who says she refuses to be intimidated by the raids and will continue organizing for peace and justice. “I’m not gonna shut up. Standing up is always better than sitting down.”

Checks to support the legal defense for the Chicago victims of the raids can be made out to Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ (WAUCC) with Committee Against Political Repression identified in the memo line (CAPR). Checks can be mailed to Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago, IL 60657.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Gainesville, FL – Approximately 30 people protested outside an FBI office in downtown Gainesville on Sept. 27. Activists held signs that said “Stop the FBI Raids!” and “End Political Repression”.

The protest was called by the Gainesville chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. The rally was organized to show solidarity with those targeted in a series of FBI raids on the homes of peace activists around the country.

The activists who participated in the rally were not intimidated by the dozens of police officers waiting in the parking garage behind the FBI office. Members of Gainesville SDS, along with allies from Veterans for Peace, chanted “1, 2, 3, 4, We just want to end the war – 5, 6, 7, 8, No more police state!” and “Hey hey, ho ho, the FBI Raids have got to go!”

SDS organizer Justin Wooten said the activists were out to show solidarity with similar actions happening in over 35 cities across the nation.

“People need to get active and speak out against the repression of peace activists, because if we don't, things will just get worse.” Wooten said. “Who knows what the FBI will do next if people take what happened to folks in Chicago, Minneapolis, and North Carolina lying down?”

#GainesvilleFL #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Minneapolis MN – On Monday September 27th, protests took place in cities across the country to protest the FBI raids carried out against anti-war activists. “From Colombia to Palestine, solidarity is not a crime”, chanted protesters in Minneapolis, where over 500 gathered at the FBI Headquarters to speak out against the FBI repression of organizers for social justice.

Minnesota speakers included activists whose homes were raided, as well as representatives of the labor, anti-war and social justice movements. Speaker after speaker expressed support and solidarity with the fellow activists who had been targeted by the FBI. And each speaker angrily denounced the FBI's outrageous attempt to silence and intimidate anti-war protestors, or anyone who opposes U.S. government policies.

“This is an attack on our ideas”, stated Jess Sundin of the Anti-War Committee, whose home was raided. “These actions by the FBI will not intimidate us nor will they silence us. I have traveled to other countries and have brought back the stories, pictures and experiences to share with everyone here. I have done this so that we can understand and see the consequences of our government’s military funding and intervention abroad. I have done nothing wrong. Standing up for truth and justice is not a crime!”

Clyde Bellecourt, founder and National Director of the American Indian Movement, recalled the brutal FBI repression suffered by American Indians in the 1970’s during the occupation of Wounded Knee, and urged support for those facing the grand jury.

The Minneapolis protest was part of a wave of solidarity demonstrations in over 20 cities across the country on Monday, from New York to Florida, and from Texas to California. More protests against the FBI's raids on anti-war activists are expected this week.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Milwaukee, WI – Students and community members held a rally in front of Milwaukee's Federal Building to protest the Sept. 24 FBI raids on anti-war activists in the Midwest and elsewhere in the United States.

Members of a wide variety of community organizations showed their support, including speakers from the Latin America Solidarity Committee, International Action Center, AFSCME local 82 President Gilbert Johnson, and Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association (MGAA) Co-president Lee Abbott.

Student speakers included Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in Waukesha and Milwaukee, as well as the Chicano organization MEChA.

“I personally went to Chicago with other activists to give support to those whose homes had been raided,” UW-Waukesha SDS member Chance Zombor said, “Tensions were high, and the victims of the raids were shaken.

“But, if the FBI thinks they're going to intimidate us into silence, they're wrong,” Zombor added.

Notable speaker was Natasha Morgan, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, MEChA, and SDS, who found herself bombarded by phone calls and messages from the FBI that lasted from the morning of Sept. 24 until the afternoon.

“I received eight calls from 10:00AM to 2:00PM from agents who wanted to meet with me,” Morgan said. “Solidarity action with student and labor activists who are being murdered in Colombia is not criminal. We work to share their stories.”

Attendees expressed general outrage at the government's actions. “I was shocked that the FBI would invade the homes of people who are trying to help oppressed peoples around the world,” student Greg Greenya said, “The event had a lot of support from those witnessing it. The message was clear: We will not give in.”

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #StudentMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

FBI Raids: Protests in 19 cities on 9/27, 28, 29 called by solidarity activists

The International Action Center supports the call below from the Minnesota Antiwar Committee for Emergency Actions at federal buildings and FBI offices on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, September 27, 28 and 29 to Support Anti-War and International Solidarity Activists and Stop FBI Raids and Harassment, and urges you to participate in one of the actions listed below or to organize an action in your city if one is not already planned.

In solidarity,

Sara Flounders and John Parker, Co-Directors, International Action Center

The following is a list of the 19 planned protests that we have heard of so far, and the list is growing. Please participate in the one nearest you, or if there is not one in your city, organize one and let us know at iacenter@iacenter.org so we can publicize it and add it to the list:

Please be in touch with the Minnesota Anti-War Committee – http://www.antiwarcommittee.org

Monday 9/27:

Minneapolis, MN – 4:30, FBI Office Monday, 111 Washington Ave. S.

Chicago, IL – FBI Headquarters in Chicago, 2111 W. Roosevelt

Kalamazoo, MI – 4:30 Federal Building, 410 W Michigan Ave

Salt Lake City, Utah – 9 AM at Federal Building

Durham, NC – 12 noon Federal Building, 323 E Chapel Hill St

Buffalo, NY- 4:30 pm at FBI Building – Corner of So. Elmwood Ave. & Niagara St.

Gainesville, FL – Monday, 4:30 PM at FBI Building

Tuesday 9/28:

NYC, NY – 4:30 to 6pm Federal Building, 26 Federal Plaza

Newark, NJ – 5 to 6pm Federal Building Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA – 4:30pm Federal Building, 6th & Market,

Washington DC – 4:30 – 5:30 FBI Building, 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW.

Boston, MA – 5 pm, JFK Federal Building

Detroit, MI – 4:30 pm McNamara Federal Building, Michigan Ave. at Cass

Raleigh, NC – 9 am. Federal Building, 310 New Bern Ave

Asheville, NC – 5 pm Federal Building,

Atlanta, GA – Noon, FBI Building

Los Angeles, CA – 5 pm, Downtown Federal Building, 300 N Los Angeles St

Tucson, AZ – 5 pm Federal Building

Wednesday 9/29:

Albany, NY -5 to 6 pm Federal Building

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #StateRepression #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

Denunciamos al Buro de Investigaciones Federales, FBI. Por el hostigamiento a los activistas del movimiento Anti-Guerra y de Solidaridad en varios estados a través de país.

El FBI comenzó visitando seis casas en Chicago y Minneapolis esta ma ñana, Viernes, 24 de septiembre de 2010, a la 08:00 a.m. Tiempo del Centro. El FBI entrego Citatorios de Corte para testificar ante un Gran Jurado Federal a cerca de una docena de activistas en Illinois and Minnesota. Ellos además intentaron de intimidar a otros activistas en California y en Carolina del Norte.

“El gobierno espera usar un Gran Jurado para tender una trampa para acusarlos falsamente de actividades ilegales a los activistas. El objetivo de esas redadas es hostigar y tratar de intimidar el movimiento contra las guerras y ocupaciones militares de U.S.A. y a los que se oponen al apoyo de U.S.A. a regimes represivos,” dijo el activista de solidaridad con Colombia Tom Burke, uno de los que recibió un Citatorio de Corte por el FBI. “Ellos están diseñando para suprimir la oposición y la libertad de expresión, a dividir el movimiento pacifista y despejar el camino para mas intervenciones militares de U.S.A. en el Medio Oriente y Latinoamérica.

Esta supresión de los derechos democráticos esta dirigida hacia aquellos quienes dedican mucho de su tiempo y energía para apoyar las luchas de los pueblos de Palestina y Colombia contra la ocupación y guerras financiadas por U.S.A. Los activistas están involucrados con bien conocidos grupos anti-guerra, incluyendo muchos de los líderes de las grandes protestas en contra de la Convención Nacional de los Republicanos en St. Paul, MN. En Septiembre de 2008. El FBI enfatiza que el Gran Jurado estuvo investigando a los activistas por posibles cargos de terrorismo. Esto es un intento del gobierno de U.S.A. para silenciar a esos que apoyan la Resistencia a la opresión en el Medio Oriente y Latinoamérica.

Los activistas involucrados No han hecho nada ilegal y están rechazando a ser atraídos dentro de conversaciones con el FBI acerca de sus puntos de vista político ó la organización contra las guerras y ocupaciones. Los activistas están involucrados con muchos grupos, incluyendo el Grupo de Solidaridad con Palestina, Estudiantes por una Sociedad Democrática, el Comite Anti-Guerra Ciudades-Gemelas, Red de Accion por Colombia, la Organizacion Socialista Camino de Libertad y el Comite Nacional por la Libertad de Ricardo Palmera (Un Prisionero Político Colombiano).

Steff Yorek un activista anti-guerra por mucho tiempo y uno de los activistas a quienes sus casas fueron cateadas, llamó las redadas “Una indignante expedición de pesca.”

Nosotros Urgimos a todos los activistas progresistas a mostrar solidaridad con estos individuos señalados como objetivos por el gobierno de U.S.A. Los activistas tienen el derecho a No hablar con el FBI y son animados a negarse cortésmente, solo decir “NO.”

Por favor contactarse: info@colombiasolidarity.org ó info@fightbacknews.org si le gustaría proveer apoyo a los activistas.

#EstadosUnidos #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #PalestineSolidarityGroup #NationalCommitteeToFreeRicardoPalmera #AntiWarCommittee #ColombiaActionNetwork #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI

Fight Back! News Service is circulating the following video from The UpTake, which reports on a community meeting in Minneapolis in response to the FBI raids on antiwar activists across the country Sep. 24, 2010. Over 200 people gathered at the meeting.

Fight Back! reported yesterday on the FBI raids:

The FBI began turning over six houses in Chicago and Minneapolis [...], Friday, September 24, 2010, at 8:00 am central time. The FBI handed subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to about a dozen activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. They also attempted to intimidate activists in California and North Carolina.

[...]

This suppression of democratic rights is aimed towards those who dedicate much of their time and energy to supporting the struggles of the Palestinian and Colombian peoples against U.S. funded occupation and war. The activists are involved with well-known anti-war groups including many of the leaders of the huge protest against the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN in September 2008. The FBI agents emphasized that the grand jury was going to investigate the activists for possible terrorism charges. This is a U.S. government attempt to silence those who support resistance to oppression in the Middle East and Latin America.

National days of protest at FBI offices or Federal Buildings are being organized for September 27 and 28th, 2010.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following national call to action from the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee.

We denounce the Federal Bureau of Investigation harassment of anti-war and solidarity activists. The FBI raided seven houses and an office in Chicago and Minneapolis on Friday, September 24, 2010. The FBI handed subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to eleven activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. The FBI also attempted to intimidate activists in California and North Carolina.

This suppression of civil rights is aimed at those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting the struggles of the Palestinian and Colombian peoples against U.S. funded occupation and war. The FBI has indicated that the grand jury is investigating the activists for possible material support of terrorism charges.

The activists involved have done nothing wrong and are refusing to be pulled into conversations with the FBI about their political views or organizing against war and occupation. The activists are involved with many groups, including: the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, the Palestine Solidarity Group, the Colombia Action Network, Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. These activists came together with many others to organize the 2008 anti-war marches on the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

We ask people of conscience to join us in fighting this political repression, as we continue working to build the movements against US war and occupation.

Take Action:

Call the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at 202-353-1555 or write an email to: AskDOJ@usdoj.gov.

Demand:

• Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
• Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
• End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.

Plan and Support national days of protest at FBI offices or Federal Buildings, September 27 and 28th.

A demonstration has been called at the Minneapolis FBI Office Monday, 4:30, September 27th(111 Washington Ave. S.).

In Solidarity, the Anti-War Committee – www.antiwarcommittee.org

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #StateRepression #PalestineSolidarityGroup #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #AntiWarCommittee #ColombiaActionNetwork #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganizationFRSO #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids

We denounce the Federal Bureau of Investigation harassment of anti-war and solidarity activists in several states across the country. The FBI began turning over six houses in Chicago and Minneapolis this morning, Friday, September 24, 2010, at 8:00 am central time. The FBI handed subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to about a dozen activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. They also attempted to intimidate activists in California and North Carolina.

“The government hopes to use a grand jury to frame up activists. The goal of these raids is to harass and try to intimidate the movement against U.S. wars and occupations, and those who oppose U.S. support for repressive regimes,” said Colombia solidarity activist Tom Burke, one of those handed a subpoena by the FBI. “They are designed to suppress dissent and free speech, to divide the peace movement, and to pave the way for more U.S. military intervention in the Middle East and Latin America.”

This suppression of democratic rights is aimed towards those who dedicate much of their time and energy to supporting the struggles of the Palestinian and Colombian peoples against U.S. funded occupation and war. The activists are involved with well-known anti-war groups including many of the leaders of the huge protest against the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN in September 2008. The FBI agents emphasized that the grand jury was going to investigate the activists for possible terrorism charges. This is a U.S. government attempt to silence those who support resistance to oppression in the Middle East and Latin America.

The activists involved have done nothing wrong and are refusing to be pulled into conversations with the FBI about their political views or organizing against war and occupation. The activists are involved with many groups, including: the Palestine Solidarity Group, Students for a Democratic Society, the Twin-Cities Anti-War Committee, the Colombia Action Network, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (a Colombian Political Prisoner).

Steff Yorek, a long-time antiwar activist and one of the activists whose homes was searched, called the raids “An outrageous fishing expedition.”

We urge all progressive activists to show solidarity with those individuals targeted by the U.S. Government. Activists have the right not to speak with the FBI and are encouraged to politely refuse, just say “No”.

Please contact info@colombiasolidarity.org or info@fightbacknews.org if you would like to provide support to the targeted activists.

Contact: Tom Burke, 773-844-3612; Steff Yorek, 612-865-8234

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #StateRepression #PalestineSolidarityGroup #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #NationalCommitteeToFreeRicardoPalmera #AntiWarCommittee #ColombiaActionNetwork #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #FBI #FederalBureauOfInvestigationFBI #September24FBIRaids