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LOCAL News :: Protest Activity

Statement of Solidarity with NO RNC Organizers in the Twin Cities

Statement of Solidarity with NO RNC Organizers in the Twin Cities
August 30, 2008

By ten o’clock this morning, three homes and one community space in Saint Paul, Minnesota had been entered and violently ravaged by members of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department, FBI, and Homeland Security. Guns drawn and warrants in hand, agents seized personal computers, laptops, and every piece of ‘media’ or literature they could get their hands on. At current count, over 65 individuals have been detained or arrested and some are facing as many as four felonies each, including “conspiracy to riot”, and “conspiracy to facilitate civil disobedience.” The raids on personal property and homes continue, as do the threats of arrest for anyone voicing concern about the Republican National Convention. Two of those who were detained at the convergence space last night returned home to find their house and car broken into, and that boxes of documents had been opened and rifled through. These strategies are a shameful display of fear tactics, executed to discourage brave individuals from express dissent with the current political regime. If these attacks fail to elicit a response, what does this say about our movements? How many of us will have our civil liberties violated like this before we admit that we are being systematically denied our rights?

We stand in solidarity with those facing repression and attacks to their civil liberties in the Twin Cities. We will not tolerate the efforts of the FBI and Homeland Security to set a precedent for increasingly aggressive and violent “preemptive policing” of political protest. And we remain excited as tens of thousands of people arrive to participate during the upcoming week of protests at the RNC. This is an open call to friends, family and allies to bring attention to the actions being carried out by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security, and the FBI. As individuals we will not stand quietly by as the authorities move to silence the voices of our friends and compatriots. As communities and movements, we will mobilize in defense of our rights and for positive change.

Signed,

Yeshiva Students Against the War
Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism
International Solidarity Movement- Chicago Chapter
Chicago Area CodePINK
Chicago Anarchist Black Cross
Labor Beat TV Series, Chicago, IL

If your organization would like to be added onto the statement or if you have any questions, please contact frannyglass [at] riseup [dot] net.

See nornc.org to learn more about the protests and how to support organizing in the Twin Cities.

The phone number for the jail 651.266.9350. Call often and demand that the protesters are released!

If you’d like to donate to help legal defense, etc, please visit: www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr
 
 

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