Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

_Unions representing over 1 million workers take a stand _

Chicago, IL – In the fall of 2010, 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists across the Midwest were subpoenaed by the FBI to appear before a federal grand jury in Chicago. Ten of us are trade unionists, and most of us had our homes raided by the FBI. Almost all of us had been leaders in the anti-war protest at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in September, 2008 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The raids were investigating an alleged conspiracy to provide “material support” to foreign terrorist organizations in Palestine and Colombia.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Jan. 4 statement from the California Teachers Association (CTA) in support of veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes. We urge our readers to continue their efforts to collect statements in support of Montes and the other 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists who have been hit by FBI repression.

On Sept. 17, 2011, a group of protesters gathered in Zuccotti Park in New York City. Their intention: to expose Wall Street greed and corporate domination over the lives of working and middle class people, the 99%. Almost immediately, police responded to the protesters with repression and pepper spray. This caused thousands of New Yorkers to flood to Zuccotti Park. Occupy Wall Street was on. Protesters camped in the park and did not leave for 59 days. Support for the protest built quickly and spread across the country and around the world. Within weeks, almost a thousand cities had Occupy protests. U.S. cities big and small had Occupations, including Chicago, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Oakland, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Tampa and Winston-Salem.

Minneapolis, MN – Billed as a report back from the first national conference of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR), more than 50 people gathered for here Dec. 15 for an exciting event that featured veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes, a moving message from Noor Elashi and an important speech by anti-war leader Jess Sundin.

Albany, NY – Tom Burke, a leader of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, toured upstate New York Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 to talk about FBI repression and the upcoming trial of Carlos Montes. Burke spoke to hundreds of people at events in Rochester, Albany and Buffalo. He also visited and spoke at Occupy Wall Street camps where dozens of tents are pitched and scores of people are holding their ground, protesting the wealthy 1% and the politicians that serve them.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution adopted by the UW-Madison Teaching Assistants Association (AFT Local 3220). It passed unanimously at its general membership meeting on Nov. 14, 2011.

Minneapolis, MN – City Council members here signed a letter to Senators Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken and Representative Keith Ellison affirming constitutional rights of anti-war activists subpoenaed and raided by the FBI last year. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression published the letter on its website Nov. 15.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution from the 72nd National UE Convention, held Sept. 25-29. The resolution condemns the FBI and grand jury repression aimed at anti-war, labor and international solidarity activists and urges support for the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

“Tenemos que ser fuertes y estar listos para cualquier cosa del gobierno”

¡Lucha y Resiste! habló con Jess Sundin del Comité para Parar la Represion del FBI sobre los casos de los activistas llamados al Gran Jurado de Chicago. Sundin es una de las activistas que el FBI cateó el 24 de septiembre de 2010. La redacción de ¡Lucha y Resiste! quiere que todos nos ayuden a pasar esta información a la mayor cantidad de gente posible.

_Protest on anniversary of FBI raids _

Minneapolis, MN – About 175 people, representing a broad section of the Twin Cities progressive movement, participated in a march and rally here, Sept. 24, to demand an end to government repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists.

New York, NY – On Sept. 20, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hosted more than 200 peace and anti-war activists, religious leaders and journalists for a discussion to mark the eve of the International Day of Peace.

Washington, DC – More than 50 protesters came together here, in front of the U.S. Department of Justice on Sept. 10 for a rally in defense of Muslims, anti-war activists and immigrants facing state repression. Organizations supporting the rally included the National Jericho Movement, International Action Center, and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, among others.

Now that ten years are passed since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, we would do well to look back and take note of some of the causes and consequences. We need to sum up and draw lessons. Immediately following the attacks in New York and at the Pentagon, the Bush administration began cynically manipulating events to launch an expansive and ongoing war on the peoples of the world and an escalating campaign of repression here at home under the guise of a ‘war on terror.’ This two-pronged approach to reasserting the power of the U.S. empire at the expense of working and oppressed people is continuing, and in some ways accelerating under the Obama administration.

In order to preserve democratic appearances, power brokers may limit repression to intimidation and creating divisions within dissident ranks. Surely, those targeted with the threat or reality of jail time, or cowed by abusive, freewheeling investigations do remember. Yet activists who are spared or members of the general public either never knew, or may forget.

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) had a big presence at the annual Minneapolis LGBTQ Pride parade this year. A lively CSFR contingent participated in the annual parade down Hennepin Avenue to Loring Park on June 25. Thousands of flyers about FBI and grand jury repression against anti-war activists were handed out to the crowds at the CSFR information booth all day Saturday and Sunday and over 250 new people signed the pledge to resist if any activists are indicted or jailed in the ongoing witch hunt.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 protesters gathered in front of the FBI offices here, June 16, to demand that the charges be dropped against veteran Los Angles Chicano activist Carlos Montes. Protest organizers blasted the growing attacks by the FBI and other police agencies on anti-war, international solidarity and progressive political activists.

Chicago, IL – Chicago activists, including those from the immigrant rights and Chicano movements, rallied at the Dirksen Federal building on June 16 in solidarity with veteran Chicano activist, Carlos Montes. Montes was raided by the Los Angeles County Sherriff and FBI on charges of a firearm code violation. They seized his personal effects and over 40 years worth of political movement documentation.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Students for a Democratic Society's National Working Committee in support of the veteran Chicano leader Carlos Montes.

Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee Committee to Stop FBI Repression met June 5 to plan out a response to the FBI and Los Angeles Sheriff raid on the home of well-known Chicano organizer Carlos Montes.