Jan. 25: Stop federal grand jury
By
John Catalinotto
New York
Published Jan 22, 2011 10:39 AM
A broad group of New York City area organizations have called for a
demonstration at the downtown Manhattan FBI offices on Jan. 25 to protest FBI
repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists. This protest is
one of dozens planned for cities around the U.S. and worldwide.
The groups have also called for a regional solidarity conference on Feb. 12
“to discuss next steps for fighting back against FBI and grand jury
repression,” they said in their leaflet.
Revulsion over a Sept. 24 Justice Department-ordered raid on homes and offices,
mostly in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Chicago areas, has led to the protest
campaign. That day the FBI served subpoenas on 14 people, demanding that they
testify before a Chicago grand jury. Those subpoenaed are anti-war organizers
or international solidarity activists, mainly with liberation movements in
Palestine or Colombia.
In response all 14 people signed a letter, which said they would invoke their
Fifth Amendment rights; that is, they would not cooperate with the grand jury.
Following these refusals and a series of protests and petitions, the grand jury
dropped the original Sept. 24 subpoenas. In December the Chicago grand jury,
under the direction of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, issued nine new
subpoenas.
Three of the original subpoenas were also reactivated, directed at three women
from Minneapolis. The three — Tracy Molm, Anh Pham and Sarah Martin
— continue to stand strong against cooperating.
This principled position — no cooperation with what they consider a
“fishing expedition” directed at political activists — has
won the subpoenaed activists strong support among progressive people around the
country and from a broad range of political organizations, anti-war groups and
civil liberties’ defenders. Those subpoenaed face possible prison
sentences simply for refusing to testify against equally innocent friends and
acquaintances, should the grand jury offer them immunity from prosecution.
At a Jan. 10 meeting at the Center for Constitutional Rights’ offices in
New York, 20 area groups agreed to call for people to gather on the Broadway
side of the FBI offices at 26 Federal Plaza at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. From
there, the protesters will march at 6 p.m. to the Justice Department’s
offices at 1 St. Andrew’s Plaza on the east side of Foley Square and
Centre Street, south of Pearl Street.
In the period since 9/11, the FBI and other police organizations have stepped
up repression of the entire Muslim community in the United States. Many people
have been framed up by FBI and police informants who set up an entire alleged
“terrorist” conspiracy, entrapping people from the community. The
current attacks now expand the repression beyond the Muslim community to all
anti-war and solidarity activists.
Besides asking people to come out on Jan. 25, the New York groups also suggest
that people can show solidarity if they:
1. Sign the National Petition to Stop FBI Repression of Activists: www.stopfbi.net.
2. Call President Barack Obama (202-456-1111) and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (202-353-1555) and demand: Stop the repression. Immediately
return all confiscated materials. No grand jury proceedings.
3. Donate at StopFBI.net/donate or mail checks to Committee to Stop FBI
Repression, P.O. Box 14183, Minneapolis, MN 55414.
4. Volunteer time and skills. Organize an event, join a support committee,
and help with web design, graphics or many other things.
5. To get involved with the conference in New York, email [email protected].
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