A Speaking Tour with Carlos Montes and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression
We are touring Carlos Montes and other activists targeted by the FBI, and we need your help organizing events. Right now the FBI is targeting immigrants’ rights leader and Chicano activist Carlos Montes. The U.S. government is attempting to criminalize Carlos Montes and disrupt his political organizing. The FBI is using a pretext to prosecute him and threaten him with 18 years in prison. So on July 6, Carlos plead “Not guilty!” to six felony charges, one each for a firearm and ammunition ownership, and four related to permits. These charges are phony, and now is the time for us to organize a movement in solidarity with Carlos Montes.
The attack on Carlos Montes is part and parcel of the FBI raids and Grand Jury repression of 23 Midwest anti-war activists. When the FBI raided seven homes and served subpoenas on September 24, 2010, Carlos name was listed on the FBI search warrant for the Anti-War Committee (AWC) office in Minneapolis. Like hundreds of others, Carlos travelled there to organize the mass protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
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 Carlos regarding the 23 Midwest anti-war and solidarity activists too. Carlos obtained the papers showing the FBI initiated the home raid, and a reporter confirmed it with LA Sheriffs.
If you do not know Carlos Montes, you probably know who he is:
· A co-founder of the 1960’s Brown Berets
· Leading role in the 1968 East L.A. education reform movement--see Walkout
· Chicano Moratorium against the U.S. war in Vietnam
· Founder of Latinos Against War, opposing 2003 Bush invasion of Iraq
· A leader of the Los Angeles immigrants’ rights mega-marches of 2006 which created the Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC)
The attack on Carlos Montes is an attack on our movements. We invite you to host Carlos Montes at your school, community, place of worship, or union event. We will work with you to make your event a success. Please contact Committee to Stop FBI Repression at info@StopFBI.net or Tom Burke at 773-844-3612.
The CSFR is launching the Carlos Montes speaking tour with appearances in the Bay Area, New York City, and Chicago. For other appearances Carlos Montes will connect, as he did recently at the UW-Milwaukee, through Internet video conferencing.
In solidarity,
Tom Burke and Jess Sundin, Committee to Stop FBI Repression
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