April 22: “A Talk on Resistance and Repression: A Benefit for Legal Defense” in Chicago

* When: Thursday, April 22, 6-9pm

* Where: Biblioteca Popular, 1921 South Blue Island Ave, Chicago

With special guests:

- Luce Guillen-Givins, Rob Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald of the RNC 8

- Recently released grand jury resister Carrie Feldman

- Paul Muller, former Marine and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War who went AWOL in order to avoid deployment

The evening will feature a discussion on governmental attempts to criminalize protest, organizing and dissent, and the communities that are resisting it. The talk will focus on three current cases against organizers and activists:

* The RNC 8 are 8 anarchists who organized against the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2008. As a result of this organizing, they were arrested prior to the protests and charged with Conspiracy to Riot and Conspiracy to Commit Property Damage. They will be tried together in a trial scheduled for October 2010.

* Carrie Feldman and Scott DeMuth were subpoenaed to a federal grand jury in Iowa investigating an animal rights action. As a result of their political convictions, they refused to testify, which resulted in Carrie being jailed for four months and Scott being charged with “Conspiracy to Commit Animal Enterprise Terrorism,” which is set to go to trial in May.

* Marc Hall is an Army Specialist who expressed opposition to being redeployed to Iraq and wrote a political hip-hop song protesting the Army’s Stop-Loss policy, which the military deemed a “threat.” As a result, he was arrested and is currently being held awaiting a US Court Martial in Iraq.

Suggested donations $5-20, with all funds raised split between Friends of the RNC 8, the Scott & Carrie Support Committee and Friends and Family of Marc Hall.

For more information on the legal cases, visit:

 

http://www.couragetoresist.org/ 

 

http://davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com/ 

 

http://rnc8.org/

Tags: Chicago, Legal Benefit, RNC 8, state repression