Committee Against Political Repression
We condemn the current FBI raids and grand juries
Upcoming event: FBI Repression and Grand Jury Resistance presentation, Olympia
This event is taking place in Olympia, WA as part of New Direction
Fest. You do not have to have a NDF ticket to attend this presentation.
On Wednesday, July 26, the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force raided three houses in Portland, looking for black clothing, electronics, flag-making materials, and anarchist literature. That same morning, they served federal grand jury subpoenas to two individuals in Portland and one individual in Olympia, for an investigative grand jury to convene on August 2nd in Seattle.
Federal investigative grand juries are secretive, repressive, and often misunderstood. This presentation will explore the nature and purpose of grand juries. We will also talk about tactics for resisting FBI repression, and what to do if you are approached by an FBI agent in relation to a grand jury or otherwise.
This workshop is presented by members of the Committee Against Political Repression, and is part of New Direction Fest. In order to make this presentation accessible to those who don’t have tickets to New Direction Fest, it will be held outside in a park. Unfortunately we’re not sure what the seating situation is going to be, we may have to all sit on the grass. If you have concerns about physical accessibility please get in touch with organizers of New Direction Fest to see about bringing chairs over from the Eagles Ballroom.
Our Passion for Freedom is Stronger than the State’s Prisons
This statement was given by grand jury resistors this morning at a press conference in Portland, OR:
Hi my name is Dennison. I will be reading a statement on behalf of Dennison Williams, Leah-Lynn Plante. The two of us were subpoenaed to the secret grand jury to begin meeting on Thursday investigating anarchists.
We are releasing this statement to make clear our intention to resist the grand jury. We will not co-operate with their investigation. If we appear before the grand jury, we will not answer any questions other than our names. If we are asked additional questions, we will invoke our First, Fourth,and Fifth Amendment rights. Under no circumstances will we talk about other people.
This grand jury is a tool of political repression. It is attempting to turn individuals against each other by coercing those subpoenaed to testify against their communities. The secret nature of grand jury proceedings creates mistrust and can undermine solidarity. And imprisoning us takes us from our loved ones and our responsibilities.
But our passion for freedom is stronger than the state’s prisons. Our refusal to cooperate with the grand jury is a reflection of our own desires for a liberated world and our support for others who are working to bring that world into being. We support the efforts of all those who will be resisting this grand jury.
If you would like to join us, please visit: http://nopoliticalrepression.wordpress.com. There you can find out how to sign on to a solidarity statement, donate money to our defense and support campaign, and write us should we be imprisoned.
More importantly, though, you can show your solidarity by refusing to co-operate with any police force and encouraging your friends and families to do the same. The police do not protect us, and do nothing to bring justice to those who have been hurt by others. If we want real safety, and real justice, we need to begin creating liberatory alternatives to the state’s institutions.
Hi my name is Dennison. I will be reading a statement on behalf of Dennison Williams, Leah-Lynn Plante. The two of us were subpoenaed to the secret grand jury to begin meeting on Thursday investigating anarchists.
We are releasing this statement to make clear our intention to resist the grand jury. We will not co-operate with their investigation. If we appear before the grand jury, we will not answer any questions other than our names. If we are asked additional questions, we will invoke our First, Fourth,and Fifth Amendment rights. Under no circumstances will we talk about other people.
This grand jury is a tool of political repression. It is attempting to turn individuals against each other by coercing those subpoenaed to testify against their communities. The secret nature of grand jury proceedings creates mistrust and can undermine solidarity. And imprisoning us takes us from our loved ones and our responsibilities.
But our passion for freedom is stronger than the state’s prisons. Our refusal to cooperate with the grand jury is a reflection of our own desires for a liberated world and our support for others who are working to bring that world into being. We support the efforts of all those who will be resisting this grand jury.
If you would like to join us, please visit: http://nopoliticalrepression.wordpress.com. There you can find out how to sign on to a solidarity statement, donate money to our defense and support campaign, and write us should we be imprisoned.
More importantly, though, you can show your solidarity by refusing to co-operate with any police force and encouraging your friends and families to do the same. The police do not protect us, and do nothing to bring justice to those who have been hurt by others. If we want real safety, and real justice, we need to begin creating liberatory alternatives to the state’s institutions.
