Carlos Montes

Carlos Montes is a veteran Chicano activist known for his leadership of the 1968 East Los Angeles education reform movement (see film Walkout), the historic Chicano Moratorium against the U.S. war in Vietnam, and the recent immigrants’ rights mega-marches of 2006.  Carlos was a co-founder of the Brown Berets, a Chicano youth organization of the 1960’s with a 13-point program for peace, justice, equality, and self-determination.

With the 2003 Bush administration war and occupation of Iraq, Montes helped form and lead the L.A. Latinos Against War. In recent years, Carlos helped initiate and organize the Southern California Immigration Coalition, to fight against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and police repression.

Now Carlos is the target of government repression and the FBI’s dirty tricks. When the FBI raided homes and served subpoenas on September 24 2010, Carlos Montes’ name was listed on the FBI search warrant for the Anti-War Committee office in Minneapolis--the organizing center for the mass protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention, where Carlos participated.

Then on May 17, the LA Sheriffs broke down Carlos’ door, arrested him, and ransacked his home. They took political documents, a computer, cell phones and meeting notes having nothing to do with the charges pertaining to fire arm ownership. The FBI attempted to question Carlos while he was handcuffed in a squad car, regarding the case of the 23 Midwest anti-war and solidarity activists.

On June 16, 2011, Carlos appeared in court and obtained the arrest documents showing the FBI initiated the raid. A reporter interviewing a LA Sheriff sergeant confirmed that the FBI was in charge. Carlos Montes is facing six felony charges with the possibility of 18 years in prison due to his political organizing. Carlos Montes case is part and parcel of the FBI raids and political repression centered in the Midwest.  For more information: www.StopFBI.net