Tag Archives: Tom Burke

On Jan. 25, 50 Cities to Protest FBI and Grand Jury Repression of Anti-War and Solidarity Activists

Protest in Chicago outside Patrick Fitzgerald's office

From the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, StopFBI.net

Tom Burke of the National Committee to Stop FBI Repression said, “Today there will be protests, meeting and rallies in solidarity with activists standing up against the political repression in fifty cities in the U.S. and internationally. Thousands will be standing up against the political attack being aimed at human rights, international solidarity and anti-war activists.”

Burke continued, “In the month of December, the FBI delivered grand jury subpoenas for January 25 to nine activists in Chicago. Six of these went to members of the Arab American community; the remaining three went to Palestine solidarity activists and individuals who have travelled to Palestine. These subpoenas are related to the FBI raids on seven houses and an office in September, where subpoenas were served on 14 activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan.”

The subpoenaed activists said in a statement, “Those of us subpoenaed in December were ordered to appear before the grand jury on January 25th. This is the same grand jury that was impaneled by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in order to indict people from among those whose homes and offices were raided in September. We have made our decisions to stand strong with the other 14 subpoenaed activists from Illinois, Minneapolis and Michigan. We WILL NOT take part in this fishing expedition. ”

Maureen Murphy, who was summoned to appear before the grand jury on January 25 added, “Despite this attempt to criminalize solidarity with the Palestinian people, we will continue to stand with them and work to end US aid to Israel. Those of us facing the grand jury and the movement as a whole will continue to build the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israeli apartheid and strengthen relationships between Palestinians living under occupation and their supporters here in the US.”

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Activists Denounce FBI Raids on Anti-war and Solidarity Activists Homes

The following is from Fight Back! News:

We denounce the Federal Bureau of Investigation harassment of anti-war and solidarity activists in several states across the country. The FBI began turning over six houses in Chicago and Minneapolis this morning, Friday, September 24, 2010, at 8:00 am central time. The FBI handed subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury to about a dozen activists in Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. They also attempted to intimidate activists in California and North Carolina.

“The government hopes to use a grand jury to frame up activists. The goal of these raids is to harass and try to intimidate the movement against U.S. wars and occupations, and those who oppose U.S. support for repressive regimes,” said Colombia solidarity activist Tom Burke, one of those handed a subpoena by the FBI. “They are designed to suppress dissent and free speech, to divide the peace movement, and to pave the way for more U.S. military intervention in the Middle East and Latin America.” 

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Nat’l Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera back on Facebook despite censorship

National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera activist Josh Sykes sent out a message yesterday to members of the anti-censorship group on facebook stating that a new official facebook page had been created for the NCFRP:

Check out the new, official National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera facebook page!

Get it while it lasts!

Become a fan, get updates on the campaign, oppose U.S. intervention in Colombia, stand up for justice, and oppose facebook censorship!

This is part of an ongoing struggle for Colombia solidarity activists to use the popular social networking site as a tool to organize, despite ongoing attacks and censorship from facebook.

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Demand an end to Facebook’s censorship of Tom Burke and the NCFRP

The following message was sent out by Josh Sykes to all of the members of the facebook group “Facebook: reinstate the accounts of Josh Sykes, Angela Denio, and Tom Burke“. For background, see the article Progress against facebook censorship of Ricardo Palmera group: the struggle continues.

Hello friends,

We’ve come a long way. We’ve succeeded, by calling, emailing, inviting friends to this group, and otherwise putting pressure on Facebook, in winning the reinstatement of the accounts of Angela Denio and I. But we haven’t crossed the finish line yet. We still have to get Facebook to reverse its censorship of the Free Ricardo Palmera group.

Additionally, there is an important development regarding the account of National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera spokesperson, Tom Burke.

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Progress against facebook censorship of Ricardo Palmera group: the struggle continues

The following article is from Fight Back! News:

A partial victory was won today, July 12, in the struggle against facebook’s attempted censorship of the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera (NCFRP), with the reinstatement of the account of National Committee activist Josh Sykes, followed a few hours later by the reactivation of the account of Angela Denio. After the “Free Ricardo Palmera” facebook group, with more than 700 members from around the world, was shut down by facebook on June 30, the National Committee began a fight to recover this valuable resource. In response, on July 7, facebook disabled the accounts of the three administrators of the group, National Committee activists Josh Sykes, Angela Denio and Tom Burke.

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Update: Josh Sykes and Angela Denio back on Facebook

The following was sent out as a message to all of the members of the facebook group, “Facebook, reinstate the profiles of Josh Sykes, Angela Denio, and Tom Burke.” For background, see this video. At this time of this repost on The Marxist-Leninist the accounts of Josh Sykes and Angela Denio have both been reactivated:

A Partial Victory – The Struggle Continues!

Hello friends,

I’m writing to you all to thank you for your support, to tell you some good news, and to say that we are not finished yet.

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Video: Facebook Censors Free Ricardo Palmera Group

The following is a video interview with Angela Denio and Josh Sykes of the National Committee to Free Ricardo Palmera regarding facebook censorship of the NCFRP:

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