Committee to Stop FBI Repression plans to step up resistance
Chicago, IL – Leaders of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) say they plan to step up the fight against political repression this fall. “The attempt by the Justice Department to jail anti-war and international solidarity activists, the frame-ups of Arabs and Muslims, the outrageous cases stemming from the NATO protests, and the coordinated attacks on the Occupy movement mean that we have our work cut out for us,” states Jess Sundin of the CSFR.
Chicago, IL – With signs reading, “Opposing war is not a crime,” and “Two years is too long,” 100 people gathered at the Federal Building here, Sept. 20, to protest FBI and U.S. Attorney attacks on anti-war activists that began with FBI Raids in September 2010. Altogether, seven homes were raided and 23 people were subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury. The warrants and subpoenas alleged there was an ongoing effort to provide ‘material support’ for foreign terrorist organizations in the Middle East and South America.
Chicago, IL – Chicagoans are joining in a national week of actions organized by the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (stopfbi.net) and the United States Palestinian Community Network (uspcn.org), calling for an end to the Department of Justice investigation into the anti-war and international solidarity work of 23 activists from the Midwest.
Minneapolis, MN – On August 17 more than 80 people attended a rally here in defense of civil liberties. The event, held at the Communications Workers of America Local 7200 union hall on Lake Street, featured twelve speakers who all emphasized the need to wage a broad, united fight to defend civil liberties in the face of deepening state repression.
Fight Back News Service urges your organization to sign the following statement from the Committee Against Political Repression in support of political activists who have been subpoenaed to appear before a Seattle Grand Jury. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is also supporting this effort. To add your group’s name to the solidarity statement, please email: [email protected].
Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 people rallied outside the Federal Building here, August 2, in solidarity with the political activists who have been subpoenaed to a Seattle-based grand jury which is investigating anarchists. The protest coincided with the date that northwest political activists were called to the grand jury.
Fight Back! interviewed Newland Smith, a member of the Committee Against Political Repression in Chicago, the local affiliate of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Smith led a campaign within the national convention of the Episcopal Church to take a stand for civil liberties in the face of repression of Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians and peace activists. The convention adopted a resolution expressing concern, which will become part of the Episcopalian legislative agenda. There are 30 to 40 members of U.S. Congress who are practicing Episcopalians.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the “American Civil Liberties” resolution of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, which took place July 5 – 12, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Episcopal Church has nearly 2 million members in the U.S. and often takes progressive stands on social issues. The editor of Fight Back! highlighted the sentence concerning the repression of the 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists.
