Salt Lake City, UT – Activists braved the cold to stand in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal building, Oct. 2, to declare their solidarity with Rasmea Odeh. The anti-war protesters called for U.S. Department of Justice Prosecutor Jonathan Tukel to drop the charges against her. The message came on the same day that Judge Gershwin Drain refused to dismiss her case. The evidence being used against Odeh was obtained illegally during the investigation of the Anti-War 23. Despite the best efforts of Odeh’s defense team, the U.S. government is intent on putting her in prison and deporting her. Groups in eight cities held solidarity protests for the 67-year-old Palestinian American leader from Chicago.
Tampa, FL – On Oct. 2, a group of 15 activists stood outside the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse here, to demand U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tukel drop the charges against Rasmea Odeh. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression-Tampa organized the protest.
Minneapolis, MN – About 25 people joined at the Federal Building here, Oct. 2 at 4:30 p.m., to demand an end to government repression against Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh and to support the struggle against the occupation of Palestine.
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Over two dozen people rallied in support of Palestinian activist Rasmea Odeh outside of the Federal Courthouse here, Sept. 27. Protesters demanded that charges against Odeh be dropped by U.S. prosecutors or dismissed by presiding Judge Gershwin Drain.
Regular readers of Fight Back! know that on Sept. 24, 2010, Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists woke to loud banging on their front doors and were confronted with scores of FBI agents breaking things and rifling through children’s toys and books. At the end of the day, seven homes and the office of the Twin Cities-based Anti-War Committee were raided by the FBI, who took away boxes of books and papers on decades of political activity. At the raided homes, activists received subpoenas to a grand jury in Chicago investigating material support of terrorism.
Detroit, MI – 70 supporters of Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh gathered here in the rain Sept. 2, before the latest court hearing in her case. When pressed by security to leave the sidewalk in front of the courthouse, the crowd stood firm. They addressed the U.S. Attorney in charge of Odeh’s case with chants led from a bullhorn across the street, shouting, “Hey McQuade, you must know, Rasmea’s case has got to go!”
Milwaukee, WI – On the evening of Aug. 5, students, activists and community members gathered at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to hear Hatem Abudayyeh speak about the political repression and the case of Rasmea Odeh. Abudayyeh is a spokesperson for the Rasmea Odeh Defense Committee. The event was organized by Progressive Students of Milwaukee.
Defense says charges are product of illegal investigation violating First Amendment
Chicago, IL – Attorneys representing Chicago’s long-time Palestinian community leader, Rasmea Odeh, have filed a motion in Detroit’s U.S. District Court to dismiss the indictment against her. They are doing so on the grounds that the charges are the product of an illegal investigation targeting both Palestine solidarity efforts and organizing in the Palestinian community.
Detroit, MI – Judge Paul D. Borman was forced to remove himself from the case of Palestinian community leader Rasmea Odeh, Aug 11. Late last month, Judge Borman stridently denied a defense motion calling on him to step down. The motion asserted that his lifelong support for the state of Israel – whose arrest, torture and conviction of Odeh for alleged Jerusalem bombings in 1969 is at issue in this case – would not allow for a fair trial. Odeh has pleaded not guilty to the charge of Unlawful Procurement of Naturalization and vehemently refutes the Israeli convictions, which were based on a forced confession after extended periods of vicious physical and sexual torture.
