The Tour to Raise Support Has the State Up in Arms
The State of Minnesota alleges that organizing a convergence space for protesters to have meetings, eat free meals, and check the interwebs (on computers that an FBI informant helpfully set up!) makes the RNC 8 guilty of conspiracy. The Federal government claims that Scott DeMuth’s writings and associations suggest that he is an anarchist and therefore a domestic terrorist, making him guilty of conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.
We say organizing resistance to state repression isn’t conspiracy. It’s survival. We say living our lives according to our principles isn’t terrorism. It’s our right. We say we’ll continue organizing no matter how much the state tries to destroy us and our communities.
So if this is conspiracy, we say to you…Join the Conspiracy!
This summer, the Conspiracy Tour is going on a whirlwind, month-long excursion across the continental United States to raise awareness of and solidarity for political activists from Minneapolis, MN who are facing severe state repression. Come join us in raising political support and much-needed legal defense funds for the RNC 8 and Scott DeMuth.
It’s been alleged that the Tour will include a musical puppet show, a scintillating presentation on the charges the activists are facing, and various (some would say nefarious) ways you can join the Conspiracy to support targets of state repression. In addition to the usual perks of joining a conspiracy, co-conspirators will be learning ways to strengthen and protect their communities from future incidences of state repression. You know, just in case.
Come find solidarity, strategizing, resistance, and community that the state could only dream of! This will be a roadshow to remember even before you read about it in your FBI file.
Find out more about the Tour: http://conspiracytour.wordpress.com.
Questions? Wanna help out? Hit us up at midwestconspiracy(A)gmail.com.
About the RNC 8
The RNC 8–Max Specktor (who will be speaking on the West Coast stops of the tour), Erik Oseland, Eryn Trimmer, Garret Fitzgerald, Luce Guillén-Givins, Monica Bicking, Nathanael Secor, and Rob Czernik–were preemptively arrested in a series of raids by heavily armed SWAT teams and other targeted arrests on the weekend before the Republican National Convention in 2008. The criminal complaints are based on the allegations of confidential reliable informants and an undercover Ramsey County Sheriff’s deputy, who infiltrated the RNC Welcoming Committee and conducted surveillance on the activists for about a year. Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner initially slapped them with “terrorism” enhancements in the first known use of Minnesota’s version of the PATRIOT Act. After a successful pressure campaign against Gaertner’s gubernatorial bid, she dismissed the terrorism enhancement charges. The 8 still face felony charges of conspiracy to commit riot in the 2nd degree and conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property in the 1st degree. Their joint trial will begin on October 25, 2010 and could last up to two months. More info at http://rnc8.org.
About Scott DeMuth
In November 2009, Scott DeMuth and Carrie Feldman were subpoenaed to a federal grand jury in Iowa investigating a 2004 Animal Liberation Front raid at the University of Iowa. Though they had no information about the incident, they both refused to cooperate with the grand jury on principle and were jailed for civil contempt. Carrie was held for four months before being released, and will be speaking about her experience on this tour. Two days after being jailed, Scott was indicted for conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. He has been released with conditions pending trial and has been re-indicted twice in response to his attorneys’ motions to dismiss. In March 2010, the Utah house of well-known animal rights activist and former political prisoner Peter Young was raided on a federal search warrant from Iowa. The raid happened only days before Carrie’s release and lists Scott and others by name. More info at http://davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com.
Tour Schedule (more updated info with locations on our website)
Winona July 25
Madison J26
Milwaukee J27
Chicago J28
Cleveland J29
Pittsburgh July 30 + 31
Buffalo August 1
NYC A2
Philadelphia A3
DC A4
Carrboro A6
Asheville A7
Louisville A8
Bloomington, IN A9
St Louis A10
Omaha A11
Denver A12
Salt Lake City A13
Bay Area A14 +15
Santa Cruz A16
Portland A18
Tacoma A19
Seattle A20
Rock Island A23
Iowa City A24
Minneapolis A26
This tour is part of the We Are Everywhere campaign, a month of decentralized anarchist activities and events to promote visibility and outreach in August 2010.
Looking forward to seeing you there!