See images, videos, and articles of Nationwide Protests in Solidarity with Stop the FBI on Jan 25th.

[annm4peace]

http://www.stopfbi.net/2011/1/27/january-25-day-action-round


Activists around the world demand: "FBI Hands Off Peace Activists!"


Chicago participant's report: http://www.fightbacknews.org/2011/1/26/protests-federal-building-chicago



Chicago, IL - Speaking at a rally of 350 supporters Jan. 25, Sarah Smith explained that being subpoenaed hasn't had the effect that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald wanted. The crowd cheered when she said, “I'm not backing down. In fact, I've been made stronger by the support from all of you to be become more politically active.”

Sarah Smith wanted to see for herself how the Palestinians lived. She traveled last summer with friends on a delegation organized by the Palestine Solidarity Group. For this she was subpoenaed to a grand jury by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

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http://www.fightbacknews.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/article-lead-photo/P1020446%20(2).jpg
Minneapolis, MN – Chanting, “From Minnesota to Palestine, solidarity is not a crime,” about 250 demonstrators gathered at the Federal Building here

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/stopfbi/5231699265/in/photostream/
Albany, NY Participant report: We had a good rally today in Albany at the regional FBI headquarters. We combined the issues of the attacks on Muslims and the raids and subpoenas of antiwar and solidarity activists and presented the new FBI regional director with a letter signed by about 15 local organizations. There were about 35 people in the bitter cold including an Albany city council member and an Albany county legislator.

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Boston, MA: About 40 people gathered in front of the JFK building at noon, distributing 500 fliers to passersby. There was a man there who activists suspected was an undercover agent, likely FBI himself. He was filming the activists up close, capturing their faces, and asking provocative questions, likely in an effort to get activists to say something extreme. Most people ignored him.
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Participant report: In Cleveland 1/25/2011 we picketed and chanted with a bullhorn in front of the Federal Building from 4:30pm to 5pm. We had 11 attendees. There was 1 Homeland Security SUV and one Cleveland Police Dept. patrol car, but they stayed in their vehicles and nothing happened. No media at all, not even a stringer!

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Detroit MI: Participant's report: In sub freezing temperatures, over 25 supporters of those raided by the FBI rallied at the Federal Building in Detroit January 25. A strong, diverse picket line with members of labor unions, youth groups, anti-war and other progressive organizations

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Kalamazoo, MI: Participant report: A dozen people, including one city council person, rallied outside the federal building with the newly formed Kalamazoo Coalition Against Repression this evening. Subpoenaed activist Tom Burke then traveled to the campus of Western Michigan University and spoke at the beginning of an event sponsored by the Kalamazoo Peace Center.

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http://www.fightbacknews.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/article-lead-photo/2011-01-25%2016.50.53-1%20(2).jpg

Los Angeles, CA: "In the case of The People vs The FBI, I now call this court into session" boomed Eric Gardner a member of ucla sds, "We are here today because FBI is trying to intimidate people into silence and stifle descent. The FBI stands accused of the crimes of intimidation, harassment, spying, political persecution, false arrests, breaking and entering, and assassinations." Thus opened Los Angele's 'People's Tribunal' where over 80 people gathered outside of the FBI headquarters to demand an end to the Grand Jury and FBI repression.

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We had 40 people show up before it ended ... It was a great start to building the effort. ACLU, AIM, KITLAC, the Jewish Coalition for Peace,

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Memphis, TN
Activists gathered at the Memphis Peace and Justice Center to mark the day of action, were met by FBI agents and members of the Memphis SWAT Team. http://firemtn.blogspot.com/2011/01/fbi-memphis-swat-unit-all-for-20-people.html

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Raleigh, North Carolina
he rally started at 9AM outside of the Federal Building in Raleigh, NC with about 25 activists gathered holding signs like 'Peace is not a Crime,' 'Federal Bureau of Intimidation,'Freedom read a beautiful piece written by a ninth grader on the injustices of repression.A small group of four activists went inside the building to Senator Hagan's office to present her aides (the Senator was not present) with our statement and our individual concerns. They told us that she was aware of the issue but had not made any public statements about it. We were promised a response 'in about a week.'
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Rochester, New York

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Salt Lake City, Utah
The activists had braved the snow to stand with those anti-war and international solidarity activists who have been targeted by the FBI.
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San Francisco, California

On Tuesday, around 100 people gathered outside the San Francisco Federal Building on 7th Street in protest of those subpoenas. A number of similar actions took place in cities around the country.

Ali Winston

Mary Anne Thomas returns 23 "subpoenas to a DHS officer in the lobby of the San Francisco Federal Building

Twenty-three people covered their mouths with orange gaffer tape and taped signs reading “I will not testify” to their clothing in a symbolic act of solidarity with the subpoenaed activists in the Midwest. After 20 minutes of chants and picketing , the 23 filed into the Federal Building’s lobby and handed replica “subpoenas” to Mary-Anne Thomas of World Can’t Wait, who then handed the documents to a Department of Homeland Security officer. “23 subpoenas are being returned,” said Thomas. “We will not testify.”




See their video here: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/01/26/18670283.php

“The only way to deal with it is to refuse to testify, even if that means going to jail, “said Richard Brown, a former Black Panther from the Fillmore and one of the San Francisco 8

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San Jose, California

http://www.fightbacknews.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/article-lead-photo/DSC_0174%20(2).jpg

San José, CA - On Jan. 25, 75 people rallied in front of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library and then marched through downtown San José and by the federal building. The march and rally was organized by the South Bay Committee Against Political Repression.Speakers included Masao Suzuki, of the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee (who has been questioned by the FBI), Fred Hirsch of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, Charlotte Casey of Code Pink, Carol El-Shaieb of the Arab American Cultural Center, Sharat Lin of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center, who spoke on attacks on immigrants, and Samina Sundas of American Muslim Voice. Emcee Shelby Minister read a statement by jailed lawyer Lynne Stewart. Raging Grannies Action League sang and chanted to begin and end the rally.
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Seattle, Washington


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Tuscon, Arizona
We had around a small demonstration of 14 people in front of the Tucson Federal Building

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Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Participant's report: Here in Tuscaloosa, AL, the SDS chapter at the University of Alabama collected petition signatures on campus and talked to students
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Fresno, CA.



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To find out more, stay updated, to read about Grand Jury, to Know your Rights, to print off great Flyers, and to help click the link below. Also sign the Petition:

http://www.stopfbi.net/

[sasha031]

1. does the FBI investigate and harass the tea baggers?

hell no! got to get those pesky peace activist....

beautiful pics and links, thank you for posting:)

[fascisthunter]

2. so is the FBI right wing?

they seem to spend lots of time fucking with peaceful activists while folks like Loughner and other right wing terrorists are able to kill people.

[OutNow]

3. Organizing - This is Great

The best way to fight back against FBI informants, Grand Jury subpoenas, and all the other tactics the government uses in the name of the war on terrorism is to organize. It hasn't changed since the days of Joe Hill. The government used all these dirty tactics and more in the 1960s and 70s against the antiwar movement and civil rights movement. Bugging MLK's hotel room, murdering Fred Hampton in his bed, getting people fired from their jobs, etc. The COINTELRO program was vast and, unfortunately, often successful.

And here we go again. The same federal prosecutor that was unable to find any crimes committed by the Bush regime except for the fall guy Scooter Libby, now sees criminal activity everywhere committed by peace activists.

It's time to organize against this crap. Demos, meetings, endorsements are all good. And if you're able, a financial donation is a good idea. I have absolutely no affiliation with the folks that were subpoenaed, but I was a victim of the COINTELPRO program in the 1970s and this stuff really pisses me off.

/end of rant