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News :: Civil & Human Rights

COME OUT TO DEFEND the Anti-Minutemen Defendants Tuesday, April 25!!!

Anti-Minutemen Trial Begins April 25th
Press Conference 12:00 noon Rolling Meadows Court House

The trial of the Anti-Minutemen defendants begins April 25 2006. This group of young people-white, Latino and Muslim were arrested for peacefully protesting against the racist paramilitary vigilantes known as the Minutemen. Their trial will be held at 2121 Euclid Street, Rolling Meadows, IL and presided over by Judge Hyman I Riebman in courtroom #107 at 9 AM.

A press conference will be held at 12:00 noon at the Rolling Meadows Court House opening day of the trial in support of the defendants. The defendants Cynthia Gomez, Kara Norlander, Eric Zenke and Rehana Khan are being represented by Jim Fennerty, past president of the Chicago National Lawyers Guild, Jed Stone, past president of the Illinois Association of Criminal Lawyers and attorney John Curnyn.

On Oct 15th, 2005 the Minutemen held an “America First National Summit Bootcamp” at Christian Liberty School in Arlington Heights. A Confederate flag hung prominently at the America First Summit. This conference brought together the national leaders of the anti-immigration vigilante movement, white supremacist, politicians and ex-military personnel to strategize on how to round up and hunt down all undocumented immigrants on the borders and throughout the country.

In response to this summit a multinational demonstration came together from all over the Chicagoland area to protest the escalating attacks and draconian laws that are aimed against all immigrants. Hundreds of people, families and organizations participated in this protest.

Acting on orders from the Minutemen and without provocation the police attacked this protest. The police selectively arrested these young people on multiple charges of battery and resisting arrest. These defendants face a year in jail and $2,500 fine.

In an attempt to intimidate the growing support for this case, Assistant State's Attorney Lance Northcutt told the court he would issue subpoenas to media outlets and at least one organization present at the protest. Subpoenas were said to be issued to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, La Raza Newspaper, WRTE FM, Daily Herald and other reporters and news organizations. Northcutt has even listed a press volunteer for the Anti-Minutemen defendants as a potential witness for the prosecution and threatened to subpoena them. These subpoenas ordered the media to turn over their audio, video and print articles pertaining to the event on October 15, 2005, no later than April 19, 2006.

Rather than oppose the threat of contempt of court charges, the Daily Herald supplied hundreds of photographs to the Assistant State's Attorney, most of which were never published. At this time, the defendants do not know how other media outlets have responded to this outrageous demand that they become the eyes and ears of the prosecution.
 
 

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