Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Call for local protests March 2: "No FBI frame-up of Carlos Montes!"



Friday, March 2, 2012:
Montes Court Hearing to Uncover FBI Lies

Call to Organize Local Protests
at Federal Buildings or FBI Offices

Protest the FBI Frame-up of Carlos Montes!
Drop the Charges Now!


Organize a solidarity
protest on March 2!

Demand, “Drop the Charges!
No FBI Frame-up of Carlos Montes!”

Send your event announcement to info@StopFBI.net for posting.


The FBI is relentlessly persecuting Carlos Montes. At his next court hearing on March 2 in Los Angeles, Carlos Montes’ lawyer will make discovery motions on how FBI special agent Matt Weber worked with L.A. Sheriff Detective Don Lord and the Joint Terrorism Task Force in this frame-up attempt. Last May, the Los Angeles Sheriffs smashed down Carlos’ door at 5 a.m., waving automatic weapons, ransacking his home, and carting away his life’s work of notes and papers. A FBI agent attempted to question Carlos about the Freedom Road Socialist Organization while he was handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser.

Chicano leader and long-time activist Carlos Montes is one of 24 anti-war and international solidarity activists hit by FBI and grand jury repression since Sept. 24, 2010. Like others caught up in this witch hunt, Montes of Los Angeles was one of the organizers of the massive protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul, Minnesota. When the FBI raided the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC) office, Carlos Montes’ name appeared on the warrant for investigation. An undercover law enforcement officer “Karen Sullivan” lied about her identity and spied on the AWC, including Carlos Montes, for two years.

Repression of the ‘60s Is Back
Carlos Montes is well known as a co-founder of the Brown Berets and for leading the immigrant rights mega-marches in L.A. The FBI is trying to railroad Carlos for his political organizing.

Montes' defense is challenging the state’s claim that he has a felony record from his 1969 arrest for leading a student strike that demanded Chicano, Black and Women’s Studies at an East Los Angeles college. Also, the legal record does not support the claim of a past felony, thereby ruling out the District Attorney going ahead with this case. Nevertheless, the government is alleging it was a crime for Montes to buy several guns at a local sporting goods store over a ten-year period, because of the (nonexistent) felony record. The FBI are relentless in their frame-up.

The prosecution is basing their evidence on this 42-year-old incident, where, during the 1969 student strike and rally, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department invaded the East Los Angeles college campus, beating and arresting student protesters. In the aftermath of the turmoil, Montes was arrested while driving home with a fellow activist and family. He was charged with assaulting a Sheriff’s Deputy. Just like today, the Sheriffs targeted Montes because of his politics - he was a leader of the La Vida Nueva on campus and the Brown Berets in the community.

Support Grows! Solidarity Will Bring Victory!
Support for Montes and the other activists under attack by the FBI and U.S. Federal grand jury is growing. Recently, Montes received a letter of support from the 350,000-member California Teachers Association and the 40,000 members at LAUSD United Teachers of Los Angeles and the UAW local at UCLA.


Facing up to 18 years of prison time, Carlos Montes is preparing to go on trial. Here is what you can do:

1. Organize a solidarity protest and demand, “Drop the Charges! No FBI Frame-Up of Carlos Montes!” on March 2, 2012. Send your announcement to info@StopFBI.net for posting.
2. Pass a resolution in solidarity with Carlos Montes or write a letter.
3. Sign the petition at http://www.stopfbi.net/petition/national
4. Sign the Pledge at http://www.stopfbi.net/get-involved/pledge-of-resistance
5. Donate to the Legal Defense http://www.stopfbi.net/donate

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