Solidarity Statement from Stop The Checkpoints Committee

At our December 4th meeting, the Stop the Checkpoints Committee voted our strong support of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression in the fight against repression and intimidation by the FBI and federal government agencies against antiwar, civil liberties, and international solidarity activists.

The Stop the Checkpoints Committee was formed in September of 2008 in northwestern Washington State in response to blanket highway immigration checkpoints, workplace raids, and harassment and deportation of immigrants. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security falsely claimed they were “protecting us from terrorists”. Our founding points of unity include:

* Defend civil liberties.
* No to racial profiling, raids, and detention.
* Defend immigrant workers and their families.
* No police state on the Olympic Peninsula or anywhere.

We have experienced the increasing militarization of our area on the Olympic Peninsula by the Dept. of Homeland Security. Border Patrol and ICE agents have create an atmosphere of repression and fear in our communities through racial profiling of hispanic immigrants and violations of the civil liberties of all of us by their blanket highway checkpoints. An increase from 4 to 25 Border patrol agents and placement of a new Border patrol station in Port Angeles to house up to 50 agents means even more mass intimidation of hispanic residents and other immigrants as well as activists on their behalf.

We realize how crucial it is to defend our right to freedom of speech and freedom of association and we applaud those organizations and individuals who are resisting the FBI’s fishing expeditions and witchhunts! Therefore, Stop the Checkpoints is going on record in full support of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and their demands to end FBI raids and Justice Department persecution of peace, labor and international solidarity activists. Cancel the grand juries. Quash the subpoenas. Return all property taken by agents. We must fight to stop the militarization of our communities and our borders and to preserve our civil liberties.

In Solidarity,
Lois Danks, Coordinator
Stop the Checkpoints Committee
P.O. Box 2352, Port Angeles, WA 98362
www.stopthecheckpoints.com