On 24 September 2010 gun-toting FBI agents broke in the homes of U.S. anti-war campaigners, socialist and Latin American and Palestinian solidarity activists.
Since then the government has delivered subpoenas to more activists, bringing the total number of activists threatened with a grand jury witchhunt to 23.
This is a war on dissent, and it is being met with fierce resistance right across the United States. International solidarity is also growing. Supporters include the Sydney Stop the War Coalition and the Iraqi Freedom Congress.
On 11 January, the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA) issued a statement: “Stop the FBI Raids: Say No to Grand Jury Witchhunts.” Authored by ISJA activist, Marisa, the statement says: “These raids and subpoenas are an attack on anti- war and other progressive movements. They are an attack on the freedom to speak, the freedom to assemble with like-minded people, and the freedom to tell the U.S. government that their actions and policies are wrong. This is a blatant attempt to clear the way for more wars and occupations of other countries by the U.S. military.”
The statement also notes: “in Australia, we too experience intimidation by the State and harassment of activists.” It points to repressive bodies such as the Australian Building Construction Commission, which demonises militant unionists. The harassment of abortion clinic defenders by Melbourne City Council, the spying on of workers and demonising of Muslims are also highlighted.
The ISJA statement also describes Palm Island Aboriginal leader, Lex Wotton, as “our most celebrated recent political prisoner” and calls on those outraged by the attempts to crush dissent in the U.S. to show their solidarity with Wotton by demanding that the repressive parole conditions which prevent him from speaking and politically organising be lifted.
Read ISJA’s full solidarity message here.
Come to the Freedom Socialist Party meeting on Thursday, 27 January. As well as discussing the proposal to include Indigenous people in the Constitution, the meeting will feature a special screening of Jess Sundin, activist targeted by the FBI, talking about the morning her home was raided. Find out more and show your support. The meeting will be held at Solidarity Salon, 580 Sydney Road, Brunswick. Dinner will be served at 6:30 pm for an $8 donation. The meeting is free and starts at 7:00 pm.
For more info, visit www.stopfbi.net
