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FBI and LA County Sheriff raid veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes
It appears that the Feds are continuing their campaign in throwing as much dirt on my party, the FRSO-FB!
FBI and LA County Sheriff raid veteran Chicano activist Carlos Montes
May 19, 2011
On May 17, 2011 at 5:00 AM the SWAT Team of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and members of the FBI raided the home of Carlos Montes, a long time Chicano activist and active member of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. The SWAT Team smashed the front door and rushed in with automatic weapons as Carlos slept. The team of Sheriffs and FBI proceeded to ransack his house, taking his computer, cell phones and hundreds of documents, photos, diskettes and mementos of his current political activities in the pro-immigrant rights and Chicano civil rights movement. Also taken were hundreds of historical documents related to Carlos Montes’ involvement in the Chicano movement for the past 44 years.
Carlos was arrested on one charge dealing with a firearm code and released on bail the following morning. His first court appearance is set for June 16, 2011.
This attack on Carlos Montes is part of the campaign of FBI harassment taking place against the 23 peace and justice activists which has until now been centered in the Midwest. Carlos Montes’ name was listed on the subpoena left in the office of the Twin Cities Anti-War Committee last September 24. When Carlos Montes was placed in the LA County Sheriff's car, an FBI agent approached and asked him questions about the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Carlos Montes has done nothing wrong. This is an attack on him and an attack on the Chicano movement for equality. Carlos has been involved and a committed leader in the immigrant rights, anti war, solidarity, and quality education movements his whole adult life.
Stop the Attacks on the Chicano and Immigrants Rights Movement!
We demand all charges be dropped against Carlos Montes. We call for the immediate return of all his property.
Please call and write US Attorney General Eric Holder (202) 353-1555 and demand Hands Off Carlos Montes and other activists.
Join the LA Committee Against FBI Repression on May 24, 2011, at 7 PM to hear first hand about this attack and discuss the FBI repression targeting political activists and movements. The program will take place at F Square Printing, 519 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
http://www.stopfbi.net/2011/5/19/fbi...-carlos-montes
Supporters of Carlos Montes denounce FBI/Sheriff's raid, demand that charges be dropp
FBI Attacks on Activists Continue
Supporters of Carlos Montes denounce FBI/Sheriff's raid, demand that charges be dropped
By Eric Gardner
Los Angeles, CA - On May 20, a lively crowd of over 100 supporters gathered in front of the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles to denounce the recent home invasion and arrest of Carlos Montes. Montes is a veteran Chicano activist and member of the Los Angeles Committee to Stop FBI Repression. The crowd represented a diverse range of local activist groups and movements – including LAUSD teachers and parent activists, members of the immigrant rights movement, anti-cutback activists from the University of California, organizers against police brutality and representatives from international solidarity movements.
The afternoon rally was also a press conference, convened in response to the May 17 morning raid conducted by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department SWAT Team and members of the FBI. At around 5:00 a.m. that morning, agents armed with automatic weapons broke down the door to Montes' home while he slept. The agents seized computers, cell phones, current and historical political documents and left Montes' home in shambles. Montes was arrested on one charge dealing with a firearm code and released on bail the following morning. His first court appearance is set for June 16.
At the rally, activists expressed outrage over the raid and arrest. Many speakers compared the operation to a COINTELPRO tactic, where trumped-up criminal charges provided the pretext for suppression of political activities critical of the government.
Prior to the raid, Carlos Montes was active organizing against the FBI and Grand Jury witch hunt being conducted against 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists in the Midwest. Montes was also named in the search warrant for Sept. 24, 2010 raid on the Twin Cities based Anti-War Committee, and like many of the 23 called before the Grand Jury, he helped organize the massive anti war march on the opening day of the 2008 Republican National Convention. The fact that FBI agents were present to question him about his political associations while he was arrested makes it clear that his own visit from law enforcement was not a coincidence.
Bev Tang, of Anakbayan Los Angeles, compared the repressive tactics used by the police and the FBI against Montes to the treatment that political activists in the Philippines often received from the U.S.-backed government there.
Nativo Lopez, a leading member of the Los Angeles immigrant rights movement who has also been targeted with criminal charges, spoke about the two-tiered justice system in Los Angeles: one tier for the rich and the political elite that allows them free reign to do what they like, and another one for the ordinary people of the city, where trumped-up charges and police misconduct are the norm.
A number of speakers stressed the need for continued unity in the face of the attacks on Carlos Montes and other leading members of the progressive movement in Los Angeles and committed to showing up to demonstrate at the June 16 court date.
The Los Angeles Committee to Stop FBI Repression will continue to organize in defense of Montes and the other 23 activists who have been targeted by the U.S. government for their political views. More local actions will be announced shortly. For information about upcoming meetings and actions, please visit stopfbila.net.
Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]
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In reading over the documents about this, a common thread seems to be firearms. I'm sure all these activists own their firearms legally, but it's something to take note of.
Put capitalism in a bag of rice.
my brother works in the west (nevada right now) and he says that people there consider it strange if you don't own a gun. I'm not sure if it's the same way in california though
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. -Malcolm X
Mick Kelly had a couple firearms, a pistol and rifle, but both of which he was legally allowed to carry. Which I'm sure the Feds knew this, but only used as an excuse to presume Mick as being "dangerous".
Cali definitely has stricter gun laws then Nevada, but depending on where you are in the state, the shock value of hearing someone owns a gun is 50/50. I don't think there are many people here who have a gun really, and if they do, it's likely an airsoft gun since they're a lot easier to get and don't need to go through the whole motions of getting an actual gun. They're also mostly used for getting rid of vermin or whatever might be snooping around.
But it definitely matters where in the state you are.
"We are free, truly free, when we don't need to rent our arms to anybody in order to be able to lift a piece of bread to our mouths."
- Ricardo Flores Magón
"I am resolved to struggle against everything and everybody."
- Emiliano Zapata
When you buy a gun you have to fill out paperwork and its the FBI who runs your name for the background check. No doubt they are just using this legal firearms ownership as a means to harass people.
Put capitalism in a bag of rice.
