_Mick Kelly states he will donate settlement money to anti-war activists fighting repression _

St. Paul, MN – The case of Mick Kelly, whose lawyers filed the first lawsuit resulting from police violence at the 2008 Republican National Convention on his behalf, was resolved in a settlement conference at the U.S. Courthouse here.

_Motion will be made to subpoena ‘Karen Sullivan’ – undercover FBI infiltrator in Twin Cities in anti-war movement _

Minneapolis, MN – At a March 4 press conference outside the Federal Building, lawyers who filed the first lawsuit resulting from police violence at the 2008 Republican National Convention announced their plan to move forward with litigation in the case of Mick Kelly. In a widely publicized incident, police, standing only feet away, shot Kelly in his stomach with a high velocity marking projectile at the demonstration organized by the Anti-War Committee on the fourth day of the RNC, September 4, 2008.

Charlotte, NC – At a press conference July 26, leaders of the North Carolina peace movement announced plans for a major anti-war march to coincide with the opening of the Democratic National Convention if it is held in Charlotte.

Minneapolis, MN – Twenty protesters picketed outside the Twins game on July 18 to protest the proposal for Minneapolis hosting the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC). The DNC site selection committee was rumored to be inside and thousands of Minnesotans saw signs like “We say NO WAR Party” as they went into the stadium. Minneapolis is one of four cities in running to host the convention. The protest was organized by No DNC, a local coalition.

The anti-war movement and a wide array of progressive people’s forces is set to protest outside the Sept. 1 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Organizers are predicting more than 50,000 will fill the streets on Labor Day 2008. Protesters will confront the war-makers, racists and reactionaries who just a few years ago were bragging that Republican rule would last forever.

Chicago, IL – Members of Teamsters Local 743 are preparing to join the massive national march on Sept. 1 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to protest at the Republican National Convention. They see this march as part of the effort to defeat the Republicans this fall. This march will be the first time in 45 years that Local 743 is joining a national mobilization.

In light of the intense repression carried out against protests at the Republican National Convention, we are reprinting material that Terri Smith, of Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management, presented at the Fifth Annual Governor’s Homeland Security Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Embassy Suites in Des Moines, Iowa.

St. Paul, MN – A lawsuit resulting from a police home invasion before the Republican National Convention was announced here at a press conference in front of City Hall, Oct. 10. Notice was served on the city of Saint Paul that lawyers representing Mike Whalen will seek $250,000 in damages.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following call from the Twin Cites-based Anti-War Committee for an October 13 call-in day to demand that St. Paul officials drop the charges against RNC protesters.

The tens of thousands of RNC protesters who hit the streets of Saint Paul Sept. 1 – 4 did something that was truly great. The demonstrations sent a powerful message that was heard around the world: The people of the United States reject the war on Iraq and the Republican agenda. We insist on peace, justice and equality. This message was heard by the rich and powerful, who responded with repression. And it was heard by hundreds of millions of people. Reports of the protests were carried by thousands of media outlets ranging from network TV in the U.S. to Al Jazeera to the New China News Agency. The Sept. 1 rally against the war was carried live on C-SPAN.

Minneapolis, MN – On January 14, a jury found a group of seven anti-war protesters not guilty of trespassing at a Minneapolis National Guard recruiting office last March. The charges stemmed from an incident that was part of a series of demonstrations organized to mark the 5th anniversary of the U.S. war in Iraq. On March 27, 2008, hundreds rallied and marched against the war on the University of Minnesota campus. That afternoon, a group of protesters organized by the Anti-War Committee attempted to enter the National Guard recruiting center located on the second floor of 825 Washington Avenue SE. After finding the doors locked and police waiting, they remained in the hallway and continued their demonstration. Police informed them that “the building owner doesn't want you here,” but they refused to leave. Sixteen people were arrested for trespassing.

St. Paul, MN – At a press conference here, Feb. 6, Meredith Aby of the Anti-War Committee announced that the City of Saint Paul is spending $5000 to resolve a lawsuit that was filed by attorneys representing Mick Kelly. Kelly, an organizer for the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, was arrested outside the Xcel Center June 5, 2008 while passing out leaflets at the Obama rally. He was promoting the Sept. 1 anti-war march at the Republican National Convention. Police placed him under arrest, then he was searched, put in a squad car and taken to the old police headquarters where he was cited for soliciting and peddling.

Junkyard Empire is a band from the Twin Cities that started out in 2006. They are a band with revolutionary music and revolutionary politics. Their lyrics and their music make you want to listen carefully and inspire you to want to take action.