JTTF "Little Green Scare" comes to DC area at circus protest in VA
An animal rights activist was arrested on FELONY charges by the FBI
at protests of the Ringling Brothers circus at the Patriot Center,
George Mason University, in Virginia near DC.
From DC Indymedia:
http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/142963/index.php
George Mason University, in Virginia near DC.
From DC Indymedia:
http://dc.indymedia
FELONY arrest at circus demo-JTTF involved
On April 11, an undercover FBI agent associated with a Joint Terrorism Task Force, based in Prince William County, arrested an activist on FELONY mask charges at the Ringling Brothers protest at the Patriot Center.
WSQT Audio-interview and wrapper:
dc.indymedia.org/usermedia/audio/4/mini_green_scare.mp3
WSQT Audio-interview and wrapper:
dc.indymedia.org/usermedia/audio/4/mini_green_scare.mp3
WSQT Audio-interview and wrapper
Vinvent Antignano
badge number #1035
FBI JTTF
badge number #1035
FBI JTTF
Vinvent Antignano
badge number #1035
FBI JTTF
badge number #1035
FBI JTTF
Vinvent Antignano
badge number #1035
FBI JTTF
badge number #1035
FBI JTTF
This is the latest and most serious in a string of suspicious arrests, all but one of animal rights activists, in the DC area. The JTTF involvement solves a lot of mysteries concerning harassment of activists in this area.
Due to both the pattern of arrests and severity of this latest case, we've got a "mini Green Scare" right here in the DC area. Since FBI agent Vinvent Antignano, badge #1035(the one involved Friday) and his buddies are based in Prince William County(and also involved in anti "gang" and other roundups of immigrants by the FBI, we know where they get their ideas.
While this does not rise to the level of the massive raids and deportations of immigrants around here(no doubt contrary to Vinvent's wishes!), nor to the decades in prison faced by Green Scare defendants elsewhere, the possibility of 9 months in a VA jail hellhole is nothing to sneeze at-and that's what's at stake in this latest case.
Here's the kicker-GMU students protesting WITHOUT masks have bee subject to campus "discipline" that can include expulsion, while masked protesters are treated as "terrorists" and prosecuted on felony charges. The effect of this is to ban ALL protest at the circus, in clear contravention of the right of free speech.
This kind of thing creates an incentive to replace speech(where cops have time to respond) with direct action(where they do not when groups like the ALF deploy at night).
In fact, this case and previous cases at HLS demos fit the time-honored pattern where ALF et all put points on the board and never get caught, so cops arrest above-ground, legal protesters instead, like they just did in Virginia.
One final point-at previous HLS demos, when I chased Vinvent Antignano with my camera, he ran like a rabbit pursued by howling wolves!
**************************************************
Here is the communique that went out concerning this case:
FBI Agent Arrests Animal Rights Activist at George Mason University
On Saturday, April 12, an FBI agent arrested an animal rights activist at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. The activist was charged with wearing a mask in public—a Class 6 felony in Virginia.
On April 5, the arrested activist attended a protest at GMU and wore a mask. After the GMU Police Department identified the activist, a warrant was issued for his arrest. When he appeared at a protest one week later, he was identified and subsequently tackled and arrested. The arrested activist was protesting Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for their history of animal abuse.
The FBI agent who arrested the activist is part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and is based in Prince William, VA. His name is Vincent Antignano and his badge number is #1035. He was stalking the arrested activist after he protested on numerous occasions against a private company, Huntingdon Life Sciences, which conducts medical tests on animals.
The activist was arrested for violating Virginia's law on face masks, which states "it shall be unlawful for any person over sixteen years of age while wearing any mask, hood, or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered (§18.2-422 )"
Prior the protest, the arrested activist was convicted on trumped up charges involving a fur protest. A Washington, D.C.–based judge originally sentenced the activist to nine-months in jail but suspended the sentence on condition that the activist not violate law in the next year. On account of the mask arrest, the activist may have to spend those nine months in jail.
Virginia's mask law is obscure and rarely enforced. The same weekend the arrested activist was issued an arrest warrant, three other activists were also issued arrest warrants. Those three activists are current or former students at GMU. The arrest warrants were later dropped except for the individual who was arrested on Saturday, April 12.
Please help animal rights activists at George Mason University. GMU campus police identified the activist and selectively enforced Virginia's mask law. Additionally, activists have been harassed at GMU by campus police in the last week while protesting Ringling Brothers Circus.
Voice your outrage to Christine LaPaille, Vice President of University Relations for George Mason University. Her e-mail address is clapaill (at) gmu.edu and her phone number is 703-993-8860. Christine LaPaille can be reached via fax at 703-993-8899. Also, please voice your outrage to Ben Crandall, Associate Director of University Operations for George Mason University. His e-mail is bcrandal (at) gmu.edu and his phone number is 703-993-4503. He can also be reached via fax at 703-993-2850.
Sincerely,
Animal Rights Activists at George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
Due to both the pattern of arrests and severity of this latest case, we've got a "mini Green Scare" right here in the DC area. Since FBI agent Vinvent Antignano, badge #1035(the one involved Friday) and his buddies are based in Prince William County(and also involved in anti "gang" and other roundups of immigrants by the FBI, we know where they get their ideas.
While this does not rise to the level of the massive raids and deportations of immigrants around here(no doubt contrary to Vinvent's wishes!), nor to the decades in prison faced by Green Scare defendants elsewhere, the possibility of 9 months in a VA jail hellhole is nothing to sneeze at-and that's what's at stake in this latest case.
Here's the kicker-GMU students protesting WITHOUT masks have bee subject to campus "discipline" that can include expulsion, while masked protesters are treated as "terrorists" and prosecuted on felony charges. The effect of this is to ban ALL protest at the circus, in clear contravention of the right of free speech.
This kind of thing creates an incentive to replace speech(where cops have time to respond) with direct action(where they do not when groups like the ALF deploy at night).
In fact, this case and previous cases at HLS demos fit the time-honored pattern where ALF et all put points on the board and never get caught, so cops arrest above-ground, legal protesters instead, like they just did in Virginia.
One final point-at previous HLS demos, when I chased Vinvent Antignano with my camera, he ran like a rabbit pursued by howling wolves!
**************************************************
Here is the communique that went out concerning this case:
FBI Agent Arrests Animal Rights Activist at George Mason University
On Saturday, April 12, an FBI agent arrested an animal rights activist at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. The activist was charged with wearing a mask in public—a Class 6 felony in Virginia.
On April 5, the arrested activist attended a protest at GMU and wore a mask. After the GMU Police Department identified the activist, a warrant was issued for his arrest. When he appeared at a protest one week later, he was identified and subsequently tackled and arrested. The arrested activist was protesting Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for their history of animal abuse.
The FBI agent who arrested the activist is part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and is based in Prince William, VA. His name is Vincent Antignano and his badge number is #1035. He was stalking the arrested activist after he protested on numerous occasions against a private company, Huntingdon Life Sciences, which conducts medical tests on animals.
The activist was arrested for violating Virginia's law on face masks, which states "it shall be unlawful for any person over sixteen years of age while wearing any mask, hood, or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered (§18.2-422 )"
Prior the protest, the arrested activist was convicted on trumped up charges involving a fur protest. A Washington, D.C.–based judge originally sentenced the activist to nine-months in jail but suspended the sentence on condition that the activist not violate law in the next year. On account of the mask arrest, the activist may have to spend those nine months in jail.
Virginia's mask law is obscure and rarely enforced. The same weekend the arrested activist was issued an arrest warrant, three other activists were also issued arrest warrants. Those three activists are current or former students at GMU. The arrest warrants were later dropped except for the individual who was arrested on Saturday, April 12.
Please help animal rights activists at George Mason University. GMU campus police identified the activist and selectively enforced Virginia's mask law. Additionally, activists have been harassed at GMU by campus police in the last week while protesting Ringling Brothers Circus.
Voice your outrage to Christine LaPaille, Vice President of University Relations for George Mason University. Her e-mail address is clapaill (at) gmu.edu and her phone number is 703-993-8860. Christine LaPaille can be reached via fax at 703-993-8899. Also, please voice your outrage to Ben Crandall, Associate Director of University Operations for George Mason University. His e-mail is bcrandal (at) gmu.edu and his phone number is 703-993-4503. He can also be reached via fax at 703-993-2850.
Sincerely,
Animal Rights Activists at George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
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