International Action Center - iacenter.org
About the IAC | Donate | IAC Books & Resources | Contact Us | Sign the Petition! SIGN to Stop FBI Repression of Anti-War Activists NOW
Condemn the FBI Raids and Harassment of Anti-War and International Solidarity Activists!
**Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
**Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
**End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.
Be part of the united opposition to this FBI campaign of harassment and intimidation. Make your voice heard!
The Committee to Stop FBI Repression ( stopfbi.net ) and the International Action Center urge you to sign the petition at iacenter.org/stopfbi demanding justice. Over a dozen activists across the country have already been raided. Only our united opposition will stop this harassment.
Your message will go to President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder, DOJ Inspector General Fine, Congressional leaders, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, U.N. Secretary General Ban, along with Major media representatives.
We denounce the Federal Bureau of Investigation harassment of anti-war and solidarity activists. The FBI raided seven houses and an office in Chicago and Minneapolis on Friday, September 24, 2010. The FBI served subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to 13 activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. The FBI also attempted to intimidate activists in Wisconsin, California and North Carolina.
The FBI confiscated computers, email and mailing lists, cell phones , cameras, videos, books, and passports. This is a dangerous attack on the constitutional rights of free speech of every social justice, antiwar and human rights activist and organization in the U.S. today. The right to speak, meet and write opinions is guaranteed under the constitution.
This suppression of civil rights is aimed at those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting the struggles of the Palestinian and Colombian peoples against U.S. funded occupation and war. Grand Jury subpoenas investigating material support of terrorism are being used to silence highly respected and well known human rights activists. This is dangerous national effort to shut down growing opposition to U.S. wars. It cannot be allowed.
The FBI and the Grand Jury are threatening courageous individuals who have written and spoken publicly to broaden understanding of social justice issues of war and occupation. The activists are involved with many groups, including: the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, the Palestine Solidarity Group, the Colombia Action Network, Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. These activists came together with many others to organize the 2008 anti-war marches on the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
We ask people of conscience to join us in fighting this political repression, as we continue working to build the movements against US war and occupation.
Petition text:
To: President Barack Obama, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
cc: Vice President Biden, DOJ Inspector General Fine, the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, Congressional Leaders, the Congressional Black Caucus, U.N. Secy Gen Ban, and members of the media
** Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
** Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
** End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.
I am writing to demand justice and an end to the FBI's continued harassment of antiwar and international solidarity activists, activists who are guilty of no crime but opposition to U.S. foreign policy. On Friday, September 24, 2010 the FBI raided seven houses and an office in Chicago and Minneapolis. The FBI served subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to eleven activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. The FBI also attempted to intimidate activists in California, Wisconsin and North Carolina. This is not the action of a lone prosecutor. The raids were coordinated nationally, spanned several cities, and many other activists have been visited and personally threatened by the FBI.
The FBI confiscated computers, email and mailing lists, cell phones , cameras, videos, books, and passports. This is a dangerous attack on the constitutional rights of free speech of every social justice, antiwar and human rights activist and organization in the U.S. today. The right to speak, meet and write opinions is guaranteed under the constitution.
This suppression of civil rights is aimed at those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting the struggles of the Palestinian and Colombian peoples against U.S. funded occupation and war. Grand Jury subpoenas investigating material support of terrorism are being used to silence highly respected and well known human rights activists. This is a dangerous national effort to shut down growing opposition to U.S. wars. It cannot be allowed.
The FBI and the Grand Jury are threatening courageous individuals who have written and spoken publicly to broaden understanding of social justice issues of war and occupation. The activists are involved with many groups, including: the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee, the Palestine Solidarity Group, the Colombia Action Network, Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. These activists came together with many others to organize the 2008 anti-war marches on the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
The FBI and the U.S. government must end this campaign of intimidation against anti-war and international solidarity activists. I am outraged at this disrespect of democratic rights. I ask that you intervene immediately to:
** Stop the repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.
** Immediately return all confiscated materials: computers, cell phones, papers, documents, etc.
** End the grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists.
Sincerely
(your signature here)
You can also call the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at 202-353l-1555 or write an email to: AskDOJ@usdoj.gov demanding an end to the FBI raids, return of all confiscated materials and an end to the Grand Jury witchhunt.
Contact the Committee to Stop FBI Repression
at stopfbi.net
Outraged by FBI raids: U.S. activists call emergency actions
Download PDF flyer: Stop FBI Repression
Detroit
The day after the Sept. 24 multistate raids and grand jury subpoenas, a broad range of progressive activists and community members denounced the FBI at a rally at the federal building in downtown Milwaukee.
 New York, Sept. 28. photo: Greg Butterfield " border="0"> New York, Sept. 28. photo: Greg Butterfield photo: Greg Butterfield |
Progressive activists and organizations across the U.S. began immediately to galvanize a struggle upon learning of the outrageous attacks carried out against solidarity activists by federal agents and the Obama administration. Demonstrations have been called in at least 32 cities and towns from coast to coast.
“The FBI is trying to round people up and scare activists from doing solidarity work with people in other nations, oppressed nations around the world. They’re trying to scare us into silence,” said Natasha Morgan of the Colombia Action Network and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
 |
| Rally in Washington, DC |
| The national headquarters of the FBI in Washington, D.C., was the scene of a spirited picket line and rally Sept. 28 to protest the FBI raids. Almost every progressive group in the area was represented, including Bailout the People Movement, International Action Center, Black is Back Coalition, Rev. Graylan Hagler, National Lawyers Guild, Code Pink, Students for a Democratic Society, Answer Coalition, Veterans for Peace, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, International Socialist Organization, Green Party, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Workers World Party. Participants attempted to enter the FBI building to deliver a list of demands. Police and FBI agents quickly locked the doors to stop activists from getting inside. Groups vowed to continue with protests. photo: Sharon Black |
Morgan and another Milwaukee activist in Students for a Democratic Society were contacted by the FBI via phone on Sept. 24. They told the FBI that legal counsel was being retained and immediately ended the calls.
The rally was sponsored by SDS Milwaukee and was attended by representatives of the Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association-American Federation of Teachers Local 2169; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 82; the Latin America Solidarity Committee; Workers World Party; and other organizations.
On Sept. 27 in Minneapolis, more than 500 demonstrators gathered at the FBI headquarters. They chanted, “From Colombia to Palestine, solidarity is not a crime!” and spoke out against the raids.
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 their fellow activists who had been targeted.
 Minneapolis Photo: Fight Back! News " border="0"> Minneapolis Photo: Fight Back! News |
“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. ... Standing up for truth and justice is not a crime!”
Clyde Bellecourt, founder and national director of the American Indian Movement, urged support for those facing the grand jury. He recalled the brutal FBI repression suffered by Native Americans in the 1970s during the occupation of Wounded Knee.
In Detroit, the Sept. 27 weekly meeting of the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War and Injustice heard from Tom Burke of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, one of the subpoenaed activists who now lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.
 Detroit/Tom Burke, FRSO, speaks. " border="0"> Detroit/Tom Burke, FRSO, speaks. photo: Bryan G. Pfeifer |
“What this centers around is our international solidarity work and the fact that we are all deeply internationalist,” said Burke. “The FBI agents told us directly that their goal is to find evidence to support charges of terrorism. They won’t find it.” Burke said he attended a demonstration against the raids earlier that day in Kalamazoo, Mich.
In downtown Durham, N.C., more than 50 community members and activists rallied Sept. 27 in support of Kosta Harlan, a Durham anti-war activist with the Colombia Action Network and Students for a Democratic Society, and to oppose the FBI’s targeting of other activists across the country.
 Durham, N.C./Kosta Harlan, a target of FBI, at protest." border="0"> Durham, N.C./Kosta Harlan, a target of FBI, at protest. Photo: Raleigh FIST |
Four FBI agents visited Harlan on the morning of Sept. 24 and attempted to intimidate him.
“I believe that I am being targeted for my anti-war activism,” said Harlan. “Everyone who believes in ... basic democratic freedoms should be concerned by the FBI’s disgraceful actions. All of my organizing work is public and perfectly legal. I call on all people of conscience to speak out against these violations of our fundamental rights.”
Black Workers for Justice; the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation; NC Peace Action; Raleigh Fight Imperialism, Stand Together (FIST); members of UE Local 150, NC Public Sector Workers Union; and people from other progressive organizations attended the rally, which was followed by a “Know Your Rights” training session provided by the National Lawyers Guild.
In Raleigh, N.C., dozens of social justice, anti-war, and immigrant rights activists gathered the morning of Sept. 28 in front of the New Bern Avenue Federal Building to denounce the raids and harassment. The protest included members of FIST, SDS, MASFF, NLG and Black Workers for Justice.
A rally was held in Atlanta in front of the Richard Russell building Sept. 28. Activists represented the IAC, ACLU, SEIU, UNITE HERE and Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition.
A spirited demonstration in Boston picketed and chanted outside the JFK Federal Building the afternoon of Sept. 27. The protest was co-sponsored by the Boston Mayday Committee and the International Action Center.
 Boston " border="0"> Boston photo: Steve Kirschbaum |
Activists from many organizations in the anti-war movement participated, as well as civil liberties and immigrant rights activists. Chants and slogans demanded an end to the raids, and that all confiscated materials be returned. Immigration raids were linked to the FBI raids on activists.
 Buffalo, N.Y." border="0"> Buffalo, N.Y. photo: Ellie Dorritie |
Speakers brought up the history of state repression going back to the Palmer Raids and emphasized the importance of standing up in solidarity, uniting and fighting back.
Ellie Dorritie, Leslie Feinberg, Peter Gilbert, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Dianne Mathiowetz, Frank Neisser and Scott Williams contributed to this article. Information on the Minnesota action was taken from www.fightbacknews.org.
Get involved! Become part of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression! go to stopfbi.net
