Twin Cities Indymedia | movement media for minneapolis-st. paul

Update On Charges Against University of Minnesota SDS

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 13:44

As many know, members of SDS at the University of Minnesota are facing charges, having supposedly breached the student conduct code by dropping banners at freshman convocation on September 3rd of 2009. These charges include theft, disorderly conduct, misuse of university facilities, and unauthorized access of a university building. What is more, SDS members were charged without proof or evidence of any particular individual’s involvement. 

 Individuals still enrolled at the U of M were obligated to meet individually with the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity (OSCAI). After the first few meetings it was clear to us that the university was employing scare tactics as a way to dismantle the group and turn members against one another. The OSCAI interviewers claimed that suspension, expulsion, and a revocation of degrees would be possible, and one member did in fact note that the interviewer questioned their ability to graduate. 

Minnesotans to Join Gaza Freedom March

Submitted by SylviaSchwarz on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 21:29

A brochure distributed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) shows a picture of President Ahmadinejad of Iran, speaking about Zionism. The caption says “Israel’s greatest threats,” echoing the line that Israel intends the world to believe: that Iran poses the greatest threat to Israel, and therefore to the US, because of its crazy dictatorial leader, and his talk about wiping Israel off the map.

But on the facing page of the same brochure is a picture of a young woman holding a sign that says “End Aid to Israel.” Still under the same heading of “Israel’s greatest threats,” AIPAC shows that this non-violent demonstrator clearly poses the greater threat to Israel, greater even than that psychotic Ahmadinejad.

Tea-Party Prankster Robert Erickson and Other European Illegals Attempt to Self-Deport at ICE

Submitted by Twin Cities Indymedia on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 16:01

This morning, tea-party prankster Robert Erickson - who last week infiltrated a right-wing "Tea Party Against Amnesty" at the Minnesota State Capitol, sparking an internet sensation - attempted to turn himself in for self-deportation at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Bloomington. Along with seven other illegal European immigrants wearing orange jumpsuits and about 25 supporters, the pranksters chanted "Columbus go home!" and "Deport us now!" to stubborn ICE officials.

Video and editing by Twin Cities IMC w. help from Bluestem Prairie and I Don't Hate America. (6:06)

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DeMuth Charged with "Animal Enterprise Terrorism," But Could Possibly Be Released Next Week

Submitted by haloka on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 18:28

Thursday morning, Minneapolis grand jury resister Scott DeMuth was charged with conspiracy to commit animal enterprise terrorism in Davenport, Iowa federal court. He is currently being held in the disciplinary block at the Muscatine County Jail after he was found to be in civil contempt of court for refusing to cooperate with the grand jury that convened in Davenport on Tuesday. Because the civil contempt charge was later dropped, on Friday he attended a hearing to decide on his possible release on unsecured bond; a final decision has not yet been made by the court.

Late Friday, Iowa corporate media reported that DeMuth also pleaded not guilty at the hearing. The article also reported that Assistant U.S. Attorney Cliff Cronk cited items seized from DeMuth during a raid before the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Since the passage of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA, an expansion on a previous act) in 2006, the law has only been used twice before yesterday: once in California and once in Utah. The act criminalizes and brands as "terrorism" actions which injure no one - such as like leafletting and sidewalk chalking - and are routinely undertaken by non-radical activists and ordinary citizens. The only criteria is whether the act "damag[es] or interfer[es] with the operations of an animal enterprise," such as by affecting profits. In the California case, one of the alleged crimes, reads the indictment there, was "us[ing] the Internet to find information on bio-medical researchers at the University of California."

Davenport Grand Jury support site | AbolishTheAETA.org | Listen to EWOK! on KFAI's Catalyst: Politics and Culture | Previously @ TCIMC: Feldman and DeMuth Jailed for Contempt | New Support Info | Press Release from EWOK!, Statements from Carrie and Scott | Video: Feldman on Grand Juries & Luce Guillen-Givens on the Green Scare

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