January 22, 2012

Resolution Condemning Government Attacks on Anti-War, International Solidarity, and Labor Activists

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is circulating the following resolution unanimously passed by the Joint Council of UAW 2865. UAW 2865 represents over 12,000 teaching assistants, tutors, and readers in the University of California system.  

 

Resolution Condemning Government Attacks on Anti-War, International Solidarity, and Labor Activists

Whereas, on September 24, 2010, the FBI raided the homes and offices and confiscated the personal belongings of anti-war, international solidarity and trade union activists in Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan and served subpoenas to 14 people to testify before a federal grand jury regarding alleged “material support to terrorism;” and
Whereas, since September 24th, at least 23 subpoenas, in total, have been issued to activists without criminal charges; and


Whereas on May 17, 2011, a 24th activist, Carlos Montes, a renowned leader of the Chicano movement in the Los Angeles area, had his home raided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff, working in conjunction with the FBI, and could face years in prison for firearms code violations stemming from an arrest at a protest in the 1960s; and
Whereas, the FBI has a long history as a tool of state repression against labor and social justice movements, and the Office of the Inspector General of the United States admitted in 2010 that the FBI has systematically and wrongly spied on political activists; and


Whereas the U.S. Supreme Court, in cases like Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, has upheld the U.S.A. Patriot Act so broadly as to outlaw legitimate humanitarian work, international solidarity efforts, journalism, and scholarly research; and


Whereas UAW 2865 believes that the freedom of expression and the freedom of association are fundamental to the health of our democracy and to our work as academic employees; 


Therefore be it resolved that UAW 2865 stands with numerous labor and community organizations in condemning the recent raids on union, anti-war and solidarity activists and demands the following:

  • For President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to immediately end the Grand Jury proceedings and FBI raids against trade union, anti-war and international solidarity activists;
  • For the Los Angeles District Attorney to drop all charges against Carlos Montes;
  • An investigation into the circumstances, motivation and propriety of the judicial and police intimidation of these activists;
  • That the U.S. government stop using national security laws and the pretext of “terrorism” to surveil, intimidate, and criminalize peaceful dissent.