Minneapolis, MN – Around two dozen students, journalists and community members gathered outside the Humphrey School of Public Affairs for June 15 press conference addressing the FBI harassment of SDS organizer Gillian Rath, regarding her activism surrounding abortion rights, including the SDS campaign in opposition to government-funded and predatory “crisis pregnancy centers.”

The FBI called Rath several times last week. This FBI harassment of a student organizer is especially troubling given the FBI’s long history of infiltrating and disrupting organizations in student movements stretching back to the 1960s, when student activism took off in response to the Vietnam War and Civil Rights movement. The FBI’s harassment of Rath represents a larger pattern of state repression of progressive activism – further demonstrated by the bogus arrest and brutalization of the Tampa 5.

Local organizer Jess Sundin, speaking as a member of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, made an important point about the FBI harassment and right-wing politics: “Republicans in DC have been calling for the FBI to criminalize this organizing. These are political decisions, and we are here to say no more.” Sundin also drew a connection between the repression faced by student activists like Gillian Rath and the Tampa 5 and her own experience with state repression. Thirteen years ago, the FBI raided the homes of anti-war activists across the country and attempted to bring up bogus charges against them. Just as that unjust attack on the freedom of speech was resisted then, the same attacks are being resisted now.

Sundin stressed that activists should never talk to the FBI.

Ashley Taylor-Gouge spoke on behalf of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC), expanding on their campaign against predatory crisis pregnancy centers, which are backed by the forces of the religious right and, until recently, received funding from the Minnesota state government. This recent defunding is a major victory won by MNAAC and organizers working to defend abortion rights. Taylor-Gouge stated, “Every time that people rise up to fight back against injustice, we should expect the state to respond with attempts to silence us.”

Rath spoke about her experience with FBI harassment. She drew connections between what has happened to her and the situation of the Tampa 5 in Florida: “This is a direct attack on social movements.”

These instances of state repression of organizers show that the ruling class recognizes the threat that the people’s movements have to their stranglehold on power, and is using every tool at their disposal, from FBI harassment to political arrests in an attempt to suppress the people.

But Rath states, “They see that we will not back down and we will not stand for political repression by the state. Because when they threaten us with arrests, like happened recently here with the UMPD, charges with felonies, or have the FBI harass us, we will just persist and come back stronger.”

#MinneapolisMN #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #PoliticalRepression #AbortionRights

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression condemns the May 31 arrest of three organizers with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund (ASF). The arrest of the three organizers, who are being called the ASF 3, represents an increase in state repression against the Stop Cop City movement. The ASF has played a pivotal role in jail support and the bailing out of arrested Stop Cop City activists.

On the morning of May 31, the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted a militarized SWAT raid and executed a search warrant on the three activists. The state is alleging trumped up charges of “money laundering” and “charity fraud.” These arrests are meant to further criminalize any form of dissent against the building of Cop City.

The ASF was started in 2017 and was instrumental in supporting and defending protestors arrested during the 2020 George Floyd uprisings and Stop Cop City movement. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp released a statement following the arrest of the ASF 3 referring to them as “criminals who facilitated and encouraged domestic terrorism.”

The only crime the ASF 3 are guilty of is defending the people from violent state repression that is meant to silence any form of dissent against Cop City. If found guilty of these trumped up charges a dangerous precedent will be set for those organizing against political repression in the future.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is urging all supporters to stand in solidarity with the ASF 3 and demand the charges be dropped now.

#AtlantaGA #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #PoliticalRepression

Atlanta, GA – Hundreds gathered in the Atlanta Forest over the March 5-6 weekend to demand justice for Manny “Tortuguita” Paez, and that the Atlanta forest be saved,and Cop City not be built. The events over the weekend included a two-day music festival and a protest inside the Atlanta Forest. Georgia law enforcement agencies ended the music festival early by arresting and charging 22 attendants with domestic terrorism charges.

The music festival and protest were part of a week of action against the proposed Cop City development. Saturday featured local musical acts such as rapper Zach Fox and hardcore band Symbiote. The music festival continued the next day with a protest in the forest. During the protest individuals allegedly overran a police security outpost and set pieces of police and construction equipment on fire.

In response, multiple Georgia law enforcement agencies raided the music festival and began arresting people indiscriminately. Of the over 30 that were arrested, 22 are currently being charged with state-level domestic terrorism charges.

“The Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) stands in solidarity with the Cop City protesters against these bogus terrorism charges,” said Tom Burke of the CSFR. “The Atlanta police murdered environmental activist Manny Paez last month and then lied about it. The cops are terrorizing people in Atlanta and then lying every time they open their mouths.”

Activists are not letting the state repression deter them and are continuing to organize to defend the Atlanta Forest and to stop Cop City.

#AtlantaGA #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #Tortuguita #CopCity

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression condemns the violent state repression against anti-Cop City activists. On January 18 Georgia State Patrol murdered Stop Cop City activist and Atlanta Forest defender Manuel Paez, also known as “Tortuguita.” On January 21, six Stop Cop City activists were charged with domestic terrorism after a protest in downtown Atlanta. We stand in solidarity with the activists and against the escalation in repression by the state of Georgia.

The proposed Public Safety Training Center, or Cop City as it’s being called by activists, would be an $80 million state-of-the-art police training facility built in the Atlanta Forest. Cop City would allow police officers from around the state of Georgia to come and train in new innovative ways to oppress and brutalize the people. Additionally, the building of Cop City would have catastrophic effects for the environment as the Atlanta Forest is one of the few remaining urban forests in the country.

Paez was murdered by Georgia State Patrol for the crime of defending the Atlanta Forest. Paez had been occupying the forest to prevent the building of Cop City. In the evening of January 18, Georgia State Patrol murdered Paez in cold blood. It’s still not clear what happened that night and accounts of what happened contradict one another but what we do know is clear: the extra-judicial killing of Paez is meant to further repress the movement to stop Cop City.

On January 21, six protesters were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism, with four of the protesters being denied bond and the remaining two having their bonds set to over $350,000. This represents even further repression of the Stop Cop City movement by the state of Georgia.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression urges all supporters to participate in local events demanding that Cop City not be built, and in defense of the Atlanta Forest. Supporters should also attend events to remember Paez and demand the charges against the six activists be dropped.

Justice for Tortuguita!

Stop Cop City!

Defend the Atlanta Forest!

#UnitedStates #PoliceBrutality #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

Brooklyn, NY – Around 20 organizers and community members gathered at noon on August 5 for a press conference, organized by The December 12th Movement, to denounce the FBI raids on African Socialist Party.

The press conference included powerful speakers from December 12, Black is Back, Struggle La Lucha, the Panthers, and a few openly socialist elected officials.

Collin Poirot, a member of the New York Community Action Project, spoke on behalf of the National Lawyers Guild. They said, “By targeting people who have built relationships with progressive forces in other countries, the U.S. government intends to intimidate those in the U.S. who would stand up and fight back against U.S. wars abroad and offer solidarity to resistance movements.”

Poirot continued “The U.S. government intends to isolate the domestic struggle and prevent activists from developing a truly internationalist understanding of oppression and imperialism.”

The speeches all spoke of resolute solidarity with the raided activists and opposition to repression.

#NewYorkNY #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #PoliticalRepression

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

On the morning of Friday, July 29th, the FBI conducted raids at multiple locations, including the Uhuru House in St. Petersburg, Florida, the private residence of Omali Yeshitela in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the Uhuru Solidarity Center, also in St. Louis. The FBI employed flashbang grenades and handcuffed Yeshitela and his wife while the house was raided. The FBI says that the raids are connected to the federal indictment of a Russian man, Aleksandr Ionov, alleging that he has been working to spread “Russian propaganda” in the United States.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression unequivocally condemn these raids. We oppose all efforts by the U.S. government to target activists in any progressive movement in this country. We call for an end to investigations, political harassment, and threats against activists and our movements.

The DOJ is alleging that those raided collaborated with a “Russian asset” to spread “Russian propaganda.” At a time when the US is engaged in an imperialist proxy war with Russia in the Ukraine, these raids have all the makings of a witch hunt. All progressive people should oppose any attempt by the FBI and police to attack people's movements and organizations. We must always be vigilant about defending our democratic rights to organize and speak out against injustice – including communicating with activists in other countries and building international solidarity. It should also be said this repression come in the context of upsurge of struggle in the Black community.

The National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression are committed to pushing back against this repression and we stand in solidarity with those under attack.

We know from experience how importance resistance to repression is. On September 24, 2010 the FBI raided seven homes of anti-war activists and the office of the Twin Cities Anti-War committee. Twenty-three activists were subpoenaed to a Chicago-based grand jury that claimed to be investigating “material support for terrorism.” As time went on, the FBI continued their attack on anti-war and international solidarity activists by targeting important veterans of the movement who worked with the Anti-war 23, including Chicano activist Carlos Montes in Los Angeles and Palestinian organizer Rasmea Odeh in Chicago. A national defense campaign defeated most of these attacks.

All those active in the movements for peace and justice should use this moment as a reminder to never speak with agents of the federal government prying into your activism or the activism of others. “I have nothing to say, please speak with my lawyer,” are all that need to be said. If you are being taken into custody, all you are required by law to do is confirm your name and tell them that you would like to speak with your lawyer. If federal or local agents show up at your home or organizing office, do not let them in without a warrant, and if they have a warrant, inspect the details of the warrant closely – if any detail is incorrect, such as the spelling of a name or address, point out the error and do not permit entry onto the premises.

Don’t talk to the FBI!

Stop FBI repression!

#UnitedStates #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #PoliticalRepression #NationalAllianceAgainstRacistAndPoliticalRepressionNAARPR