San José, CA – On Saturday, May 3rd, more than 60 people gathered at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in San José for a reception and program with Lynne Stewart organized by the South Bay Committee Against Political Repression with a generous donation of food for the reception from the National Lawyer’s Guild. The event raised more than $1100 to help with the health costs of Lynne Stewart who is battling cancer.

Long-time attorney, Lynne Stewart, had been imprisoned on a bogus ‘material support’ for terrorism charge, for her work defending an Egyptian cleric.

While the audience was gathering for the program, a taped message from Mumia Abu-Jamal was played, welcoming the release of Lynne Stewart. The program was opened by Masao Suzuki of the SBCAPR, who had been visited by the FBI in September 2010 at the same time that antiwar and international solidarity activists in the Midwest were being raided by the FBI and subpoenaed to a Federal Grand Jury. Karen Wald then read a solidarity statement from the Cuba 5 for Mumia and Stewart.

The first speaker was Ramona Africa, coordinator of MOVE, whose headquarter was bombed by the Philadelphia police in 1985. The bombing killed 11 MOVE members, including five children, and burned down an entire block of about 60 homes. She spoke about the MOVE 9, who have been unjustly imprisoned since 1978 for the death of police officer.

Jeff Mackler of he Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, spoke about Mumia who had been on death row from thirty years, before finally having the death sentence dropped in 2012. He said that the struggle to free Mumia continues. Ralph Pointer, Lynne Stewart’s husband, thanked the audience for their support in the struggle to free Lynne Stewart and then Dan Carpenter of the National Lawyer’s Guild introduced Lynne Stewart.

Lynne Stewart said that coming home from prison was a victory, and that “I am going to keep fighting so others can go home.” She stated that she had a special concern for women prisoners, who often were separated from their children. Lynne Stewart also spoke out for political prisoners in the United States, and urged the audience to go to the website of the National Jericho Movement to learn more about how to support political prisoners in the United States.

Following the speakers there was a question and answer period. Pam Africa of MOVE also came to the event but was not feeling up to speaking.

The San José event was part of a Bay Area tour with events in San Francisco, Oakland, San Rafael, and Sacramento sponsored by the Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee, and KPFA.

#SanJoséCA #PoliticalPrisoners #LynneStewart #SouthBayCommitteeAgainstPoliticalRepression

The Norwegian-made film took a personal look at the trial of University of South Florida computer engineering professor Sami Al-Arian. Professor Al-Arian was a Palestinian American civil rights and Palestine solidarity activist who was arrested and put on trial for aiding the Palestinian resistance organization Islamic Jihad in 2003.

After spending more than ten years spying on Al-Arian and intercepting more than 400,000 phone calls, the government could not get a guilty verdict on any of the 17 charges. After spending two years in jail while on trial and faced with another trial and more years away from his family, Al-Arian made a plea deal, agreeing to leave the country and going into political exile.

The film had a very personal look at Al-Arian’s family and the stress that it caused them, and the support that he had from the community. After the film there was a discussion with two panelists, Summer Hararah of the Muslim Legal Fund of America and Cyrus McCormick of the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms.

The audience learned that instead of letting professor Al-Arian serve time and leave the country, a federal grand jury in Virginia called on Al-Arian to testify, which he refused. He then was charged with contempt and jailed. Finally, in 2008 he was released under house arrest which continues to this day.

#SanJoséCA #Palestine #PoliticalPrisoners #DrSamiAlArian #SouthBayCommitteeAgainstPoliticalRepression

San Jose, CA – On May 12, the South Bay Committee Against Political Repression held an art auction fundraiser for the defense of Carlos Montes. Bay Area artists contributed their paintings, posters, photographs and other art for a silent auction. The program included music and spoken word. Hundreds of dollars were raised for the legal defense and organizing efforts for Carlos Montes.

#SanJoséCA #CarlosMontes #SouthBayCommitteeAgainstPoliticalRepression #Art

A majority of the audience was oppressed nationality (Chicano, African American and Asian American). Participants included new and old activists: students with the San Jose State University MEChA , Chicano Vietnam War veteran and author Charlie Trujillo, members of Occupy San José, as well as long-time peace and Palestinian solidarity activists.

Carlos Montes spoke of his own history with the Chicano movement, the current struggle for immigrant rights, the 23 Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists who were raided by the FBI and subpoenaed by a federal grand jury and his own arrest and upcoming trial. Montes stressed the importance of collective action and the need to mobilize the community to defeat the growing political repression.

The program also featured spoken word by Adriana Garcia of MAÍZ. The event collected more than $500, not including sales of T-shirts and posters. Afterwards, many in the audience went to the Day of Remembrance event in nearby Japantown.

#SanJoséCA #InJusticeSystem #ChicanoLatino #CarlosMontes #SouthBayCommitteeAgainstPoliticalRepression