Press Conference and National Call In Day on Wednesday

Last week, Dennison Williams and Leah-Lynne Plante were subpoenaed to a federal grand jury investigating anarchists in the Pacific Northwest. The subpoenas were accompanied by a set of FBI raids, in which black clothing, flags, and anarchist literature was seized. They have been ordered to appear in closed-door hearings on August 2.

The Committee Against Political Repression urges everyone to support Dennison and Leah in their resistance.

Attend our press conference.
Time: Wednesday, August 1st at 8 am
Place: Gazebo at Peninsula Park in North Portland

Dennison Williams and Leah-Lynn Plante will be issuing a statement about grand jury resistance. Come join us and show your support and solidarity with these two people as they face repression from the FBI for their political beliefs and work.

Call In Day- Wednesday, August 1st.
Also on Wednesday, we are asking people to call the US Attorney for Washington, Jenny A Durkan, and demand an end to the grand jury investigation. You can reach her toll free, at: (800) 797-6722.

When you call the U.S Attorney’s office, please let them know that you are speaking for yourself and not the individuals resisting the grand jury subpoenas. Be aware of how the things you say may affect the people you are trying to help. Also, remember that the US Attorney’s office is law enforcement agency, and so be careful of being drawn into discussion or debate with them. Keep it short, polite, and to the point. For example:

“Hi. I am Doug Brown. I am calling about the grand jury being impaneled in Seattle, Washington this Thursday, August 2nd. I am disgusted that the FBI and government are persecuting political dissent in our country. This group of people is being harassed and intimated for their political beliefs. I demand that the grand jury and investigation be ended immediately and that the governments repression of social movements stop. Thank you for taking my comments.”

After you call, please email us (nopoliticalrepression@gmail.com) and let us know how what kind of response you got from the Attorney’s office.

See our earlier post about how to support the grand jury resistors and those targeted by the raids for more ways to help out.

What You Can Do This Week to Support Grand Jury Resistance!

Thank you to all the individuals who have reached out to us and the organizations who have signed our solidarity statement. More than 160 organizations have signed on to the statement. This has been an important first step in supporting those facing political repression in the Pacific Northwest. We have a long and rough journey ahead of us, but we are inspired by the outpouring of support that we have already received. Many people have asked what else they can do to contribute to this struggle so we have come up with a short list of options. Those resisting the grand jury will be making a statement later this week.

Call In Day- Wednesday, August 1^st. We are asking for people to call the US Attorney for Washington, Jenny A Durkan on Wednesday, August 1^st to demand an end to political persecution and that the grand jury and investigation be stopped. When you call the U.S Attorney’s office, please let them know that you are speaking for yourself and not the individuals resisting the grand jury subpoenas. Be aware of how the things you say will impact the people you are trying to help. Feel free to use our example to help you figure out what to say. If you make a call, please email us (nopoliticalrepression@gmail.com) and let us know how what kind of response you got from the Attorney’s office.

An example of what you might say:

“Hi. I am Doug Brown. I am calling about the grand jury being impaneled in Seattle, Washington this Thursday, August 2^nd. I am disgusted that the FBI and government are persecuting political dissent in our country. This group of people is being harassed and intimated for their political beliefs. I demand that the grand jury and investigation be ended immediately and that the governments repression of social movements stop. Thank you for taking my comments.”

Telephone: (206) 553-7970 or toll free at: (800) 797-6722
Fax Line : (206) 553-0882
ISDN: (206) 264-2765

Thursday, August 2. Come to Seattle to stand against the Grand Jury witch hunt! There will be a demonstration in solidarity with those affected by the raids and subpoenas starting at 7:30am and throughout the day. The demonstration will be at the federal court house, 700 Stewart St., in Seattle.

Can’t make it to Seattle? Plan another event or demonstration in solidarity! Please email us at nopoliticalrepression@gmail.com to tell us about your event.

Please donate! There is a “Donate” tab on our website  We are trying to raise legal fees for all of those affected. We also are trying to provide material support for those that are resisting the grand jury.

Please spread this information far and wide!

If you have questions, email us at nopoliticalrepression@gmail.com. We are still taking signatures from organizations so email us if your organization would like to sign on. Keep checking this website for updates in the coming days.

Solidarity Statement Against The Raids and Grand Jury

On Wednesday July 25^th, the FBI conducted a series of coordinated raids against activists in Portland, Olympia, and Seattle. They subpoenaed several people to a special federal grand jury, and seized computers, black clothing and anarchist literature. This comes after similar raids in Seattle in July and earlier raids of squats in Portland.

Though the FBI has said that the raids are part of a violent crime investigation, the truth is that the federal authorities are conducting a political witch-hunt against anarchists and others working toward a more just, free, and equal society. The warrants served specifically listed anarchist literature as evidence to be seized, pointing to the fact that the FBI and police are targeting this group of people because of their political ideas. Pure and simple, these raids and the grand jury hearings are being used to intimidate people whose politics oppose the state’s agenda. During a time of growing economic and ecological crises that are broadly affecting people across the world, it is an attempt to push back any movement towards creating a world that is humane, one that meets every person’s needs rather than serving only the interests of the rich.

This attack does not occur in a vacuum. Around the country and around the world, people have been rising up and resisting an economic system that puts the endless pursuit of profit ahead of the basic needs of humanity and the Earth. From the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement to now Anaheim, people are taking to the streets. In each of these cases, the state has responded with brutal political repression. This is not a coincidence. It is a long-term strategy by state agencies to stop legitimate political challenges to a status quo that exploits most of the world’s people.

We, the undersigned, condemn this and all other political repression. While we may have differences in ideology or chose to use different tactics, we understand that we are in a shared struggle to create a just, free, and liberated world, and that we can only do this if we stand together. We will not let scare tactics or smear campaigns divide us, intimidate us, or stop us from organizing and working for a better world.

No more witch-hunts! An injury to one is an injury to all.

Signed:

Committee Against Political Repression
Freedom Archives
Sacramento Prisoner Support
Committee to Stop FBI Repression
Critical Resistance
Stop the Injunctions Coalition
National Jericho Movement for Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War
Civil Liberties Defense Center
We Are Oregon
Portland Jobs with Justice
Rose City Cop Watch
Bayan-USA Pacific Northwest Region
Portland Central America Solidarity Committee (PCASC)
Red Spark (Kasama)
Earth First! Journal collective
Repeal Coalition
1st of May Anarchist Alliance
Black Unity Movement
The Institute for Anarchist Studies
Connect the Dots
Oregon Jericho
Parasol Climate Collective
Portland Anarchist Black Cross
Right to Survive
Right to Dream 2
Rosehips Medic Collective
Communities United Against Police Brutality
The Radical Anti-Capitalist Caucus, of Occupy Portland
Students on Strike Organizing Committee
Autonomous Workers’ Group
Occupy Oakland Anti Repression Committee
Oakland Occupy Patriarchy
Oakland Occupy Legal
East Bay Solidarity Network
Portland Animal Defense League
Cascadians Against War
PDX Bike Swarm
Northbay Movement for a Democratic Society
Solano Peace and Justice Coalition
Solano Peace and Freedom Party
Northbay Uprising Radio Collective
MN Anti-War Committee
Peoples’ Action for Rights and Community
Redwood Curtain CopWatch
Occupy Eureka
Arizona Prison Watch
All Power to the Positive podcast
Justice for Palestinians, San Jose, CA
OccupyLV
Culture of Resistance
Family & Friends of Daniel McGowan
Blazing Arrow Organization
Portland International Socialist Organization
Anti-Racist Action-LA/People Against Racist Terror
The Portland World Citizens’ United Front
The Wild Poppies Collective
Everglades Earth First!
The Center For A Stateless Society
Black Orchid Collective
Hella503 Collective
Portland Rising Tide
Laughing Horse Book and Film Collective
Occupy 4 Prisoners, Oakland
Night Heron Grassroots Activist Center
Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition
New York Taskforce for Political Prisoners
The North American Anarchist Studies Network
submedia.tv
Cleveland 4 Support Group
Freedom Socialist Party
Socialist Action
Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County
Justice for Randy L. Dixon Rivera & Family
Peace Resource Center
Occupy Washington DC
Occupy Peace House DC
BDS LA for Justice in Palestine
The American Iranian Friendship Committee
NYC Jericho Movement
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee, NYC Chapter
New Direction Fest
Socialist Viewpoint Magazine
Bay Area United Against War Newsletter
Al-Nakba Awareness Project
Social Democrats
USA-Socialist Party, USA
The Young Social Democrats-Young Peoples’ Socialist League
Alliance for Global Justice
Nicaragua Network
Campaign for Labor Rights
New York City Labor Against the War
Labor for Palestine
Libertalia Autonomous Space
Community Futures Collective
The International Coalition to Free the Angola 3
Workers World Party
International Action Center
East Bay Saturday Dialogues
Soa Watch South Florida
Socialist Viewpoint
#OPDX
WORKERS ACTION
Occupy Kalamazoo
Good Morning Revolution
Wandering Llama Press
Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Social Justice Committee
Occupy Denver
Citizens Against Corruption
Mutant Legal Collective NYC
The Northampton (MA) Committee to Stop the Wars
South Chicago ABC Zine Distro
Defending Dissent Foundation
Occupy Seattle Street Medics
Vashon Women In Black
Veterans For Peace, Linus Pauling Chapter 132
Organic Consumers Association
World Can’t Wait
Internationalist Prison Books Collective
Collective A-GoGo
Alliance of the Libertarian Left of New England
Earth First! Prisoner Support Project
The Mineapolis Autonomous Radical Space (MARS) Collective
Wensday Media Distro
The Alice Committee
Liberty Tree Foundation
Grand Jury Resistance Project
Alliance for Peace and Justice of Western Massachusetts
Welfare Rights Committee (Mpls/St. Paul, MN)
Socialist Organizer
Occupy LCC (Lane Community College)
Phoenix Class War Council
The Wingnut Anarchist Collective
Richmond Copwatch
the ART lab
The People’s Tribunal (SF Bay Area)
San Jose Peace & Justice Center
Citizens for Legitimate Government
New York Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition
Unite Left Review
Anarchy-1 radio
Wisconsin Bail Out The People Movement
Queers Without Borders
Olympia Coalition for a Fair Budget
Charm City Anarchist Black Cross
Blue Heron Infoshop
Portland Books to Prisoners
Moveon Desert Council
Progressive Democrats Of America Desert Chapter
Ocv
Occupy Colorado Springs
Support Vegans in the Prison System
Denver Anarchist Black Cross
Twin Cities IWW General Defense Committee Local 14
Decolonize PDX
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Animal Defense League of Salt Lake City
Seattle Communist Study Group
Our World In Depth
Grupo El Heraldo
The Portland Solidarity Network
Portland IWW
Workers Solidarity Alliance
Occupy New Haven
NYC Anarchist Black Cross
Pilipino Association of Workers and Immigrants
CODEPINK LI, Women for Peace
OccupyWallSt.org
News and Letters Committees
MN Peace Action Coalition
Progressive Global Commons
Communities For Justice And Peace
Peace Action of San Mateo County
Fighting Union Caucus-Iowa
No Biomass Burn (Washington State)
Girl Army Self Defense
People of Faith CT
The Phoenix Commune
Modesto Anarcho Crew
May 1st Coalition 4 Worker & Immigrant Rights
occupy syracuse
Oakland Occubus Committee
Oakland Assembly of Unemployed
NATO 5 Support Committee
South Bay Committee Against Political Repression
CEO Pipe Organs/Golden Ponds Farm
our developing world
American Muslims for Palestine
People’s Community Medics
Responsible Marijuana Project
Austin Prisoner Support
CT-ABC
Teamster Defense Guard
Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights
Prison Activist Resource Center
Cascadia Earth First
The Purple Thistle Centre
SOAW-LA
Burning Books
The MOVE Organization
Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Chicago Committee Against Political Repression
International Action Center
Olympia Students for a Democratic Society
Seattle Young People’s Project
Seattle Copwatch
Bayou La Rose
October 22 Coalition To Stop Police Brutality – Seattle Affiliate
AK Press
Third coast conspiracy
opdxlive.org- the occupy portland livestream team
Common Struggle Libertarian Communist Federation
National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms
International Action Center Seattle
Austin People’s Legal Collective
Occupy Together
Steampunk Magazine
Combustion Books
Berkeley Copwatch
Edmonton anarchist bookfair collective
No Nukes Action Committee
The Holdout
the 4th CD/St. Paul Green Party
Food For Thought Cafe
Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation (WWFOR)
Peacemakers of Schoharie County, New York
Kaua`i Alliance for Peace and Social Justice
Seattle United Against FBI Repression
International Solidarity Movement – Northern California
Free Palestine Movement
Action for the Earth
The Mike Cannon Show
The Red & Black Collective
The Crooked Bough blog
Northern Virginians for Peace and Justice
Portland State University Students for Unity
The Flying Brick Library
GLITUR, the Grand Legion of Incendiary and Tenacious Unicorn Revolutionaries
Radical Women
Resistance PHL
Wild Rose Collective
Winnipeg Copwatch
Philly Stands Up! Collective
Seattle chapter of the International Socialist Organization
68’ anarchist collective
#MicCheckWallS
Portland chapter of Anti-Racist Action
Occupy Corvallis
The JED Collective, Greene Maine
Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism — Corvallis Chapter
Food Fight! Grocery
Red Bird Prison Abolition
Women Against Military Madness
Snitch Watch
AFFECT
Flying Brick Library from Richmond, VA.
Four Star Anarchist Organization

To add your group’s name to the solidarity statement, please email: nopoliticalrepression@gmail.com.