Minneapolis, MN – At a press conference here, Jan. 12, Jess Sundin of the Twin Cites based Anti-War Committee (AWC) blasted police infiltration of the anti-war and international solidarity movement, stating, “We are here today to express outrage that our democratic rights have been violated by a government operation of spying, infiltration and disruption of our anti-war movement, which was carried out over the course of at least two and half years.”
On Dec. 22, the U.S. House and Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. The bill authorizes $725 billion for next year’s Defense Department budget, including nearly $160 billion of what the Pentagon calls “overseas contingency operations” – Congress’s name for the U.S. wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Minneapolis, MN – Dozens of Twin Cities area anti-war, labor and social justice advocates gathered at the office of the Anti-War Committee, Dec. 21, to fill out paperwork for Freedom of Information Act requests, demanding that the FBI provide copies of files developed on their organizations and themselves.
Chicago, IL – The FBI came unannounced to knock on doors of apartments in here, Dec. 21. FBI agent Robert Parker, under orders from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office, delivered a subpoena to Maureen Murphy. Murphy, like several other individuals served subpoenas, is an organizer with the Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago.
Chicago, IL – The 19th annual People’s Thanksgiving, a fundraiser for Fight Back! newspaper, was held here Dec. 4. It was the largest ever, with over 200 in attendance, and raised an incredible $7000 for the defense of the 17 Midwest anti-war and solidarity activists under attack by the FBI.
Chicago, IL – More than 100 anti-war, labor and solidarity activists rallied and picketed here, Dec. 6. The emergency action was organized by the Chicago-based Committee Against Political Repression after the FBI delivered or declared its intention to give federal grand jury subpoenas to solidarity and anti-war activists in Chicago the week before.
Milwaukee, WI – On Dec. 3, the Milwaukee Activist Defense Network and Students for a Democratic Society held a protest in coordination with the national week of action to stop FBI repression. Students handed out fliers and passed a petition at the busiest intersection in Wisconsin to raise awareness of the FBI repression that is targeting activists around the country.
Minneapolis, MN – On the afternoon of Dec. 3, a group of anti-war activists braved a major snowstorm to join a protest against recent U.S. war threats in Korea.
_Chicago benefit to fight grand jury witch hunt big success _
Chicago, IL – Over 200 people danced and chanted, “Viva, viva, Palestina!” the night of Nov. 24 for the Hip Hop Defends Free Speech! Benefit. The fundraising show featured performers such as BBU, Scheme and I’Naru, an all woman group playing traditional, Puerto Rican Bomba music. The event was organized by Rebel Diaz portoluz, and the Chicago Committee Against Political Repression. It included remarks by Hatem Abudayyeh, one of the 14 people raided by the FBI and subpoenaed by the Grand Jury. Over $3,500 was raised for the defense fund.
In the Foreword to sociologist James Brittain’s Revolutionary Social Change in Colombia: The Origin and Direction of the FARC-EP, Pluto Press, 2010, James Petras states that during the period 1999-2001 the FARC-EP was recognized as “a belligerent force,* a legitimate interlocutor in peace negotiations by all major European and Latin American regimes. During this period FARC-EP was invited to France, Spain, Scandinavia, the Low Countries, Mexico, and elsewhere to discuss the peace process. During the same period, top US leaders and businesspeople, along with dozens of trade unionists and electoral politicians from across the spectrum, engaged the FARC-EP in a demilitarized zone in Colombia, where the United Nations mediated peace negotiations between the FARC and then President Pastrana. While Washington opposed the entire peace process and President Bill Clinton secured the passage of the huge multibillion dollar military package (Plan Colombia), the United States was not able to scuttle the process or pin the narco-terrorist label on the FARC-EP. It was only after Washington went to war against Iraq and Afghanistan, and the US-dominated mass media launched a massive and sustained propaganda blitz labeling all critics and adversaries of US global militarism that the ‘terrorist’ label was pinned on the FARC.” Testing the accuracy of the “terrorist” label, among other beliefs about the FARC, James Brittain embarked on an extensive examination of existing works, public documents, and other material, as well as five years of field studies in FARC territory.—Editor’s Note
Minneapolis, MN – Three well-known Twin Cities anti-war and international solidarity activists, Tracy Molm, Anh Pham, and Sarah Martin have received word from the U.S. Attorney’s Office that that they will be called to appear in front of a Chicago Grand Jury.
New York, NY – More than 150 movement leaders and concerned individuals packed a standing room-only hall at Saint Mark's Church in the Bowery on Nov. 6 for the first national meeting of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
_Anti-war organizers targeted by FBI facing grand jury witch hunt _
Minneapolis, MN – Activists gathered at May Day Bookstore, Nov. 9, to make signs for the emergency protest that is planned for the day after anti-war and international solidarity activists are called to appear in front of a Chicago-based grand jury. Organizers say that if news of the call to appear is received on Friday, the protest will take place at 4:30, Monday, in front of the Minneapolis Federal Building.
Minneapolis, MN – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) hosted a panel discussion here Nov. 2 at the University of Minnesota. The panel was made up of six anti-war and international solidarity activists from the Minneapolis, all of whom were raided by the FBI on Sept. 24th and were subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Chicago. None of the affected activists have any charges against them; the FBI claims to be searching for evidence of “material support of terrorists.”
Seattle, WA – The newly formed Seattle United Against FBI Repression organized a protest to coincide with the visit of President Obama, Sept. 21. Groups participating included Veterans for Peace, Voices of Palestine, Raging Grannies, Fellowship of Reconciliation, SNOW, International Socialist Organization, Freedom Socialist Party, Radical Women and many trade unionists.
Minneapolis, MN – On Oct. 23, anti-war and free speech activists made their presence felt outside of President Obama's speech at the University of Minnesota. A group of activists held banners on University Avenue, while others handed out more than 6000 flyers and got hundreds of signatures on postcards calling on President Obama to stop the FBI and Grand Jury attacks on the anti-war movement.
