Los Angeles, CA – On May 20, a lively crowd of over 100 supporters gathered in front of the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles to denounce the recent home invasion and arrest of Carlos Montes. Montes is a veteran Chicano activist and member of the Los Angeles Committee to Stop FBI Repression. The crowd represented a diverse range of local activist groups and movements – including LAUSD teachers and parent activists, members of the immigrant rights movement, anti-cutback activists from the University of California, organizers against police brutality and representatives from international solidarity movements.
Newark, NJ – On May 15, 2009, Basire Farrell, 30, was mercilessly beaten to death on the street at 2:00 a.m. by five Newark cops. He was dead, murdered, at the scene. Nothing has happened since to the killers because they are cops.
Update: Since the publication of this article, activists have learned that the U.S. Treasury Department, not the U.S. Attorney's office, is responsible for the account freezings. See this story for more details.
_Immigrant rights movement declares a victory, pushes forward effort to stop deportations _
St. Paul, MN – On April 14, immigrant rights activists in Minnesota celebrated a victory as Governor Mark Dayton announced he would not pursue an Executive Order collaborating with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on deportations and enforcement programs.
Minneapolis, MN – On April 7, four Latino and immigrant leaders spoke against political repression on a panel at the University of Minnesota. They spoke out in solidarity with the 23 anti-war activists facing FBI and grand jury repression and told their stories of solidarity in the face of repression.
Chicago, IL – The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is undertaking a national effort to sign up thousands of people to a “Pledge to resist FBI, Grand Jury repression.”
_Motion will be made to subpoena ‘Karen Sullivan’ – undercover FBI infiltrator in Twin Cities in anti-war movement _
Minneapolis, MN – At a March 4 press conference outside the Federal Building, lawyers who filed the first lawsuit resulting from police violence at the 2008 Republican National Convention announced their plan to move forward with litigation in the case of Mick Kelly. In a widely publicized incident, police, standing only feet away, shot Kelly in his stomach with a high velocity marking projectile at the demonstration organized by the Anti-War Committee on the fourth day of the RNC, September 4, 2008.
Conference unites over 100 activists from across the South
Chapel Hill, NC – Over 100 activists from across the South gathered at the University of North Carolina School of Law Feb. 19 for a conference against FBI repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists. The conference was one of four regional conferences organized by the national Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR). Activists came from as far as Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution from the Graduate Employees Organization University of Illinois at Chicago (GEO-UIC) Local 6297. This Resolution was passed by the GEO-UIC Steering Committee on Feb. 9.
Davenport, IA – On Feb. 14, Twin Cities-based activist Scott DeMuth was taken into custody by the authorities in Davenport, Iowa. This stems from his conviction for a misdemeanor charge of ‘conspiracy to commit animal enterprise terrorism’ under the Animal Enterprise Protection Act. Scott is being transferred to the Polk County Jail, near Des Moines, Iowa, where he will be processed. The authorities will then determine where he will serve out his sentence.
Chicago, IL – Fight Back News Service urges our readers to check out the following videos from the Feb. 12 midwest conference against the FBI and Grand Jury repression that was held in Chicago. The conference and benefit brought together about 200 activists from Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri.
Chapel Hill, NC – A conference to address the recent FBI raids on anti-war and international solidarity activists’ homes and offices will take place Feb. 19 from 9:45 am until 5:00 pm at the UNC Law School on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The event is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided for a suggested $5 donation. Childcare will be available free of charge.
Kalamazoo, MI – FBI agents continue to harass anti-war and international solidarity activists, this time in Michigan. On Feb 3., longtime Michigan peace activist Dave Staiger received a phone call from the FBI. Special agent Karlie Wood asked to interview Dave in person. Staiger told the agent, “My policy is to contact a lawyer if the FBI or police want to talk to me.” The agent said, “Contacting a lawyer is not necessary,” and that Staiger was not in any trouble. Special Agent Wood then stated that she wanted to talk about matters relating to the Grand Jury subpoenas and FBI investigation in Minneapolis and Chicago.
Kalamazoo, MI – Twelve anti-war activists, including a city council member, protested outside the U.S. Federal Building here, Jan. 25. The protest, organized by the newly-formed Kalamazoo Coalition Against Repression, was a part of the national day of actions against government repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists.
Lima, Peru – After 15 years in prison in Peru, on Jan. 24 U.S. progressive activist Lori Berenson finally won her freedom. Berenson had been jailed in Peru since November 1995. She was initially released from prison last May, only to be rejailed three months later as Peruvian judges went back and forth about whether to continue to imprison her.
![Over 80 people attended the Atlanta people's assembly, "Law as a weapon of war"](https://i.snap.as/sjCsleXi.jpg "Over 80 people attended the Atlanta people's assembly, \\"Law as a weapon of war\\" \(Fight Back! News/Kosta Harlan\)")
