We need to stop the persecution of political activists like Carlos, the 23 Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists, and other activists in the movement. |
From the Committee to Stop FBI Repression
On Monday August 29, call:
President Barak Obama at 202-456-1111
Attorney General Eric Holder at 202-514-2001
Sample message: “My name is ________ and I am calling from [city, state]. I’m calling about Carlos Montes of Los Angeles. He is one of the anti-war activists being targeted by the FBI. I want you to tell Attorney General Holder [or President Obama]:
Drop the charges against Carlos Montes!
Stop the FBI and the Grand Jury repression of the other 23 anti-war and international solidarity activists.
Return all property to Carlos Montes and the other activists raided by the FBI. The U.S. government should not be prosecuting us when we exercise our rights to freedom of speech and dissent.”
After you call, please write on our Facebook page, tweet at us, or send us an e-mail (info@stopfbi.net) to let us know you called – and please ask your friends and other activists you know to call in too.
Please join us in calling U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama, demanding a stop to the prosecution of Carlos Montes. We need to stop the persecution of political activists like Carlos, the 23 Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists, and other activists in the movement.
Make no mistake: the U.S. government’s repression of Carlos Montes is an attack on the immigrants’ rights and anti-war movements. Please call today and let Holder and Obama know we are building a movement that will not bow down to political repression.
The Chicano Moratorium
We are calling on Monday August 29 because that is the date used to mark the anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium. The Chicano Moratorium was a movement of Chicano anti-war activists who built a broad-based coalition of groups to organize opposition to the Vietnam War and was led by activists from local colleges and members of the Brown Berets. Carlos Montes was one of the originators of the Chicano Moratorium in 1969. Today he continues to organize the Chicano Moratorium against the wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq and to commemorate journalist Ruben Salazar who was assassinated by police during an attack on the Chicano Moratorium on August 29, 1971. The August 29 call-in day is in honor of the important contributions of Chicanos and Latinos to the U.S. anti-war movement, from opposition to the wars in Vietnam through Afghanistan.
About 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 Montes was a co-founder of the Brown Berets, a Chicano youth organization that stood for justice, equality, and self-determination.
With the 2003 Bush administration war and occupation of Iraq, Montes helped form and lead 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.
About this case
Now Montes himself is the target of government repression and the FBI’s dirty tricks. When the FBI raided several Midwest 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 2008 Republican National Convention protests, where Carlos participated.
Then on May 17, 2011, 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. The FBI attempted to question Montes 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 arrest documents showing that the FBI initiated the raid. A reporter interviewing a Los Angeles 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. We need you to take action against this repression.
Other ways to take action
Invite Carlos Montes to speak at a meeting using a live Internet video call. It is easy to do and works well. More details on the video calls coming next week.
Please sign the petition for Carlos Montes on the International Action Center website.
Donate to the legal defense fund
For more info visit www.StopFBI.net or write StopFBI@gmail.com or call 612-379-3585.