The Final Call

New York anti-war activists protest FBI raids across the nation

By Saeed Shabazz -Staff Writer- | Last updated: Oct 12, 2010 - 6:50:36 PM

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NY Freedom Party gubernatorial candidate Charles Barron at the Anti-FBI raids protest in Manhattan Sept. 28. Photo: Lem Peterkin

NEW YORK (FinalCall.com) - A few hundred loud and raucous protesters marched in front of the Federal Building in lower Manhattan on Sept. 28 to demand that the FBI stop repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.

Activists are angry and concerned that the Sept. 24 raids on the homes and offices of eight of their colleagues in Minneapolis, Minn., Chicago, Illinois and Grand Rapids, Mich. is the beginning of a new phase of repression against organizations that disagree with American domestic and foreign policy.

Protest organizations said that there would be nearly 31 such actions in cities across the nation. Approximately 350 anti-war activists, clergy and trade union members demonstrated in Chicago on Sept. 26 in front of the FBI headquarters.

The FBI in a statement said they were investigating possible domestic links with alleged terrorist organizations. A flyer published by the San Francisco Labor Council stated the FBI “confiscated crates full of computers, books, documents, notebooks, cell phones, passports, children's drawings, photos of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, videos and personal belongings.

United For Peace and Justice, a national coalition of anti-war organizations: “The FBI raids threaten the First Amendment, our peace movement; and reflect the dangerous expansion of guilt by association pervading the Justice department's “counter-terror” prosecutions.”

Sara Flounders, co-director of the International Action Center stopped her protesting to share with The Final Call that she agreed that the raids were designed to suppress free speech.

“The people that they [FBI] raided are very well respected activists and organizers; but this impacts everyone that has raised their voice,” Ms. Flounders said.

“The government hopes to use a grand jury to frame activists—the goal is not only to harass, but to also intimidate the movements against U.S. wars and occupation,” Ms. Flounders added. A statement by Al-Awda-NY, a Palestinian rights organization notes: “We see this attack for what it is—an attempt at silencing opposition to U.S. wars in our homelands. The movement for justice for Palestinians in the U.S. will not be intimidated or silenced.”

“We are out here today to say that we must fight, if we go silently, they [government] will have accomplished what they want,” insists Ms. Flounders. She said that this type of repression was expected from the administration of former president, George W. Bush; but Pres. Barack Obama hasn't made any changes in the tone of the Justice Dept. “One but needs to see how the administration is attacking Black politicians and Muslims, to see where this is headed for activists,” Ms. Flounders said.

Amadi Ajamu, national spokesperson for the Brooklyn-based Non-Governmental Organization, the December 12th Movement told The Final Call that the FBI raids represents “the rise of Facism.” We want people to understand that we have to combat this at every step of the way, she said. “This is the same tactic used in the 1960s and throughout the 1980s; so we at ‘D-12' are saying that a support network must be deveopled if we are to combat this new Facism, Ms. Amadi said.

“We know well the lessons of COINTELPRO. We know that the government used their spy program to break up Black and Latino organizations; and now they are using the same tactic to repress the anti-war movement—the movement for jobs and real health care reform,” Ms. Flounders said, adding, “We are doing nothing illegal and we refuse to be criminalized; we don't hide what we are doing.”

Councilman Charles Barron, and the NY Freedom Party candidate for governor, explained to The Final Call the raids are definitely reminiscent of the McCarthyism of the 1950s.

“The government is using the federal grand jury process to squash the activists and their movements; and I am out here today to say we must stop this at the door,” he said. The outspoken councilman and former Black Panther traveled with Palestinian activists to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged people in the Gaza Strip; and spoke out publicly against the Israeli sea-attack against activists carrying humanitarian aid aboard Turkish ships.

Activist attorney, Roger Wareham explained to The Final Call the dangers of the federal grand jury subpoenas. He said that if anyone refuses to testify, that person may be charged with civil contempt; and would be sentenced to prison for the duration of the grand jury term—or may also be given a 30 month sentence in prison.

Ralph Poynter, the husband of the imprisoned activist attorney, Lynn Stewart explained in personal terms the danger of the federal subpoenas.

“I talked with Lynn this morning, and she said she had heard Sara Flounders on a radio show talking about their dilemma. “And she said to me, if they are threatening federal grand juries get your affairs in order,” Mr. Poynter said. What is the opinion of the Obama administration: “Barack Obama has never been more than an articulate hypocrite.”