U.S. activists call emergency actions

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.

Minneapolis Photo: Fight Back! News

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.

“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.

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. WW 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.

“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!”

Durham, N.C./Kosta Harlan, a target of FBI, at protest. Photo: Raleigh FIST

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.

“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.

Boston WW photo: Steve Kirschbaum

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.

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.”

Detroit/Tom Burke, FRSO, speaks. WW photo: Bryan G. Pfeifer

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.

New York, Sept. 28. WW photo: Greg Butterfield

In Buffalo, N.Y., representatives of more than a dozen organizations came out Sept. 27 on short notice to a demonstration at the FBI Building. The loud and enthusiastic crowd, which included youth and longtime activists, expressed determination not to be intimidated and never to be silenced. The protest was called by the Western New York International Action Center.

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.

Buffalo, N.Y. WW photo: Ellie Dorritie

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.

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.

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.