Jess Sundin, one of the raided activists, said, “In the most recent public comment, in response to a media inquiry, the U.S. attorney’s office gave a strangely-worded response: ‘there are no public criminal cases stemming from the investigation.’ Perhaps this is suggesting that there may already be criminal indictments under seal or maybe not. We and our kids need this investigation into our protected political activity and speech to be over.”

Sundin added, “Recent revelations by Edward Snowden – and the ACLU reports on fusion centers – show that there is a pervasive attitude amongst government that people are the enemy and that opposing government policies is a ‘security threat.’”

A letter with 200-plus signers will be delivered to the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney’s office urging that the U.S. Attorney publicly put an end to the investigation.

Sundin concluded, “This year, on the three-year anniversary and on the eve of a new war, we recommit ourselves to building the people’s movements. We demonstrate their complete failure in silencing activism, opposition to war and international solidarity. We will continue to do that work and to continue to build solidarity with other victims of political repression.”

#MinneapolisMN #Raids #grandJury #politicalRepression #AntiWar23 #FBIRepression

Outside the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) convention in Puerto Rico, Saturday, May 31, members of the Puerto Rican teachers union were attacked by riot police when they attempted to distribute fliers. The fliers were critical of SEIU for making a deal with Governor Acevedo Vila for SEIU to replace the militant teachers union in February.

The Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR – Federation of Teachers of Puerto Rico), representing 42,000 teachers, called a strike in February, almost three years after their last contract expired. Over 7000 members of the union unanimously voted to strike in November 2007. The strike for decent wages and against privatization lasted 10 days. Before the strike even took place, the governor declared the strike illegal and told SEIU vice President Dennis Rivera that the union is “yours to take.”

This example of selling out a strike in a country oppressed by U.S. imperialism is perhaps the worst example of business unionism. The SEIU convention is rocked by internal debates about deal making with bosses instead of class struggle to advance the interests of workers.

#PuertoRico #News #SEIU #FederationOfTeachersOfPuertoRico #Raids