Dear Activists,
As you all probably know, Friday morning the FBI raided the homes of more than six Midwestern antiwar activists. (See Twin Cities and Chicago Indymedia for full details.) They issued subpoenas to them for a grand jury investigating their ties to “Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” a charge the FBI suggests is justified because some of them were engaged in international solidarity work in Palestine and Colombia. They seized computers, videos, cellphones, financial records, and drawings made by their children. These activists are guilty of no crime. I (Chris) personally have friends who have worked with many of them for forty years in antiwar and labor union activity. The raids are an attempt to harass and silence the antiwar movement and must be protested. The first subpoena is a for a grand jury session on October 5, just a week or away. We in CT must be part of an emergency national response to this assault on our free speech and right to organize without harassment against US military intervention abroad. There is a national call for demonstrations at Federal Buildings during rush hour on Monday or Tuesday.
Mongi Dhaoudi of CT CAIR and I, of CT United for Peace urge you to join the call for a picket at the Hartford, CT Federal Building from 4:30pm to 6:30 pm on Tuesday, September 28 with the demands suggested by the national defense campaign:
**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.
If you would like to add your name and organizations for id purposes, please reply to this email by 9 am Monday, September 27, We will vet a press release from those who choose to endorse online and send it to the media on Tuesday morning.
In solidarity,
Chris Gauvreau, CTUP Organizing Committee
Mongi Dhaouadi, CT CAIR
Chris-860 478 5300
Mongi-860514-8038
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Background materials:
This is a listing of actions called so far on Monday and Tuesday, Sept 28 and 29.
It is in response to the Minneapolis Antiwar Committee’s Call for Emergency Actions to Support Anti-War and International Solidarity Activists & Stop FBI Raids and Harassment at Federal Buildings and FBI Offices.
It is 13 cities so far.
Minneapolis MN, Monday: 4:30, FBI Office Monday, 111 Washington Ave. S.
Chicago, IL, Monday: 4:30 FBI Building, 2111 W. Roosevelt Rd.
NYC, Tues. 4:30 to 6pm Federal Building, 26 Federal Plaza,
Newark, NJ Tues 5 to 6pm Federal Building Broad Street
Washington DC, Tues 4:30 – 5:30 FBI Building 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW.
Detroit MI Tuesday 4:30 McNamara Federal Building
Buffalo, NY 4:30 at FBI Building – Corner of So. Elmwood Ave. & Niagara St.
Durham NC on Monday, 12 noon Federal Building, 323 E Chapel Hill St
Raleigh NC. Tuesday 9 am. Federal Building, 310 New Bern Ave
Asheville, NC Tuesday
Atlanta, GA, Tues Noon, FBI Building
Gainesville, FL on Monday, 4:30 PM at FBI Building
Salt Lake City, Utah, 9 AM on Monday at Federal Building
From: “Steff Yorek”
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2010 3:25:46 PM
Subject: Emergency Actions to Support Anti-War and International Solidarity Activists: Stop FBI Raids and Harassment
Emergency Actions to Support Anti-War and International Solidarity Activists
Stop FBI Raids and Harassment
A call for action at Federal Buildings and FBI Offices.
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 handed 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 and North Carolina.
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. The FBI has indicated that the grand jury is investigating the activists for possible material support of terrorism charges.
The activists involved have done nothing wrong and are refusing to be pulled into conversations with the FBI about their political views or organizing against 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.
Take Action:
Call the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder at 202-353-1555 or write an email to: AskDOJ@usdoj.gov.
Demand:
**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.
Plan and Support national days of protest at FBI offices or Federal Buildings, September 27 and 28th.
A demonstration has been called at the Minneapolis FBI Office Monday, 4:30, September 27th(111 Washington Ave. S.).
In Solidarity, the Anti-War Committee – http://www.antiwarcommittee.org
CT United for Peace 