|
The
ANSWER Coalition unequivocally condemns today’s FBI raids on the homes
of anti-war and solidarity activists in Illinois and Minnesota, and the
intimidation of activists there and elsewhere.
This morning,
Sept. 24, teams of FBI agents from the “Joint Terrorism Task Force”
served search warrants and grand jury subpoenas on the activists,
allegedly relating to political speech in defense of the Palestinian and
Colombian peoples. The FBI subpoenaed around a dozen activists to
testify before a grand jury in Chicago in October. They confronted and
intimidated activists in additional states as part of the operation.
Grand juries
are notorious political tools used by the government against progressive
activists when it lacks actual evidence against them.
The targeted
activists have done nothing wrong. They are long-time organizers in the
struggle for justice in the United States and against U.S. wars and
repression abroad. They are leaders of organizations like the
Twin-Cities Anti-War Committee, the Palestine Solidarity Group, the
Colombia Action Network and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization,
among others. Many of the targeted activists helped organize the
successful mass mobilizations at the RNC in Minneapolis, Minn. in 2008.
Now, the government is attempting to implicate them in a bogus federal
“terrorism” investigation. These allegations are baseless, reactionary
and wrong.
The aim of
the FBI raids is clearly the suppression of free speech and dissent. The
government wants all activists to be afraid to speak out. And the Obama
administration’s Justice Department is now leading the charge. But we
cannot allow the government to stamp out the right of people to advocate
for political beliefs that do not align with the aims of the Pentagon
war machine. We cannot allow them to continue to erode our civil rights
and civil liberties.
ANSWER
encourages all anti-war activists to follow the example of the targeted
activists if you are confronted by the FBI or other police agencies. The
activists have refused to engage in conversations with the FBI about
their political beliefs and anti-war organizing.
It is
important for all activists and organizers to know your civil rights.
People have the right to remain silent and to consult with an attorney.
Even if the FBI shows up at someone’s home or office with a warrant, you
are not required to engage in conversation. It is better to say to FBI
or other law enforcement agents, “Let me have your contact information
and my attorney will call you.” People will gain nothing by engaging in
discussions with FBI officers.
ANSWER stands
in full solidarity with our targeted sisters and brothers in the
anti-war movement. We vow to struggle alongside them until the
government harassment ends and they are completely vindicated.
An injury to one is an injury to all!
