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| Milwaukee activists protest to stop FBI raids and intimidation of anti-war activists. (Fight Back! News) |
In cities across the country this week demonstrators are showing up outside FBI offices to protest the latest red scare like raids conducted by the FBI last week in Minniapolist and Chicago.
In Chicago, at least 350 turned out at FBI headquarters to condemn the FBIs latest actions. "It's not just our family. It's not just those that got the knock on Friday. It's not just the many, many movement activists that are here today," said Stephanie Weiner, whose home in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood was the subject of a search warrant Friday.
Another person targeteted in the Windy City was Hatem Abudayyeh executive director of the Arab American Action Network.J im Fennerty, an attorney representing Abudayyeh, who is an American of Palestinian descent, said Monday that lawyers from the National Lawyers Guild will represent those who are being investigated.
Ahmed Rehab, executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Monday that the investigation into Abudayyeh's organization was "a waste of taxpayer dollars."
"Hatem is a longtime, respected leader in the community. It is unthinkable that he would have any connections to terrorism," Rehab said. "This is a new low. … This is an example of FBI overreach when it comes to activism or commentary on the (Middle East) conflict."
Hundreds more protested in Minneapolis, with signs reading: "Stop FBI harassment. Opposing war is not a crime." Roughly 120 people marched in Chicago, chanting, "Hey, hey! Ho, ho! FBI raids have got to go!"
One of the homes searched was that of Jess Sundin of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee. She told protesters that she knows of 13 people who have been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury in Chicago next month.
Sundin said Monday she met FARC rebels when she visited Colombia in 2000, but noted that the Colombian government was holding peace talks at the time with the rebels, who held public forums where she met them. She said she has had no contacts with FARC since.
Mick Kelly (another of those who house was searched in Minniapolis) and Sundin acknowledged they're active in the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (which as far as I know is still not a crime), a group named in several warrants . Kelly edits its newspaper.
In Salt Lake, a dozen protesters, mostly members of the Revolutionary Students Union at Utah Valley University, chanted and held signs reading "Hands off our anti-war activists" and "Peace is not a crime." Organizer Gregory Lucero, a UVU graduate student, said the group responded to a call from the Minneapolis-based Anti-War Committee to rally in support of peace activists the FBI targeted last Friday.
"We feel this is an infringement on our rights," said Cory Bushman, of The Mormon Worker, a local group that combines Mormonism and radical politics.
Mormon Worker, say what...
In Gainesville, Florida, , protesters led by the Students for a Democratic Society, stood outside Gainesville’s FBI Regional Agency from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to raise their voices against recent investigative activity concerning anti-war activists.
Justin Wooten, an SDS member, former UF student and organizer of the protest, said the FBI entered, searched and confiscated belongings from the homes of two of his acquaintances.
“They can put you behind bars for supporting any organization they deem a terrorist organization,” Wooten told the Florida Alligator. “It’s a real threat to freedom of speech in this country.”
Mormon Worker, say what...
In Gainesville, Florida, , protesters led by the Students for a Democratic Society, stood outside Gainesville’s FBI Regional Agency from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to raise their voices against recent investigative activity concerning anti-war activists.
Justin Wooten, an SDS member, former UF student and organizer of the protest, said the FBI entered, searched and confiscated belongings from the homes of two of his acquaintances.
“They can put you behind bars for supporting any organization they deem a terrorist organization,” Wooten told the Florida Alligator. “It’s a real threat to freedom of speech in this country.”
The following is from Fight Back News.
OVER 500 PROTESTERS IN MINNEAPOLIS SLAM FBI REPRESSION OF ANTI-WAR AND INTERNATIOINAL SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS
September 28, 2010
Read more articles in People's Struggles
Minneapolis MN - On Monday September 27th, protests took place in cities across the country to protest the FBI raids carried out against anti-war activists. “From Colombia to Palestine, solidarity is not a crime”, chanted protesters in Minneapolis, where over 500 gathered at the FBI Headquarters to speak out against the FBI repression of organizers for social justice.
Minnesota speakers included activists whose homes were raided, as well as representatives of the labor, anti-war and social justice movements. Speaker after speaker expressed support and solidarity with the fellow activists who had been targeted by the FBI. And each speaker angrily denounced the FBI's outrageous attempt to silence and intimidate anti-war protestors, or anyone who opposes U.S. government policies.
“This is an attack on our ideas”, stated Jess Sundin of the Anti-War Committee, whose home was raided. “These actions by the FBI will not intimidate us nor will they silence us. I have traveled to other countries and have brought back the stories, pictures and experiences to share with everyone here. I have done this so that we can understand and see the consequences of our government’s military funding and intervention abroad. I have done nothing wrong. Standing up for truth and justice is not a crime!"
Clyde Bellecourt, founder and National Director of the American Indian Movement, recalled the brutal FBI repression suffered by American Indians in the 1970’s during the occupation of Wounded Knee, and urged support for those facing the grand jury.
The Minneapolis protest was part of a wave of solidarity demonstrations in over 20 cities across the country on Monday, from New York to Florida, and from Texas to California. More protests against the FBI's raids on anti-war activists are expected this week.
5 comments:
I was at the Minneapolis demonstration. It was spirited.
I talked to ex-FBI agent Colleen Rawley, who told me about the laws involved.
I will add this blog to my blogroll tomorrow.
I added this blog to my blogroll.
Thanks. You'll note you are on mine
I really don't think the Left should be so quick to declare solidarity with these activists. I just wrote a Leftist critique of the protests surrounding the recent FBI raids.
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