For info on supporting Erik while he’s in jail, visit: supporterik.wordpress.com

Erik Oseland was born Nisswa, MN on April 11th 1987, amongst the various lakes, forests, and non-humyn animals of northern Minnesota. After a childhood of climbing trees, building tree forts, and making friends with the local deer population, Erik discovered one of his deepest commitments in life: his commitment to the land base and all its non-humyn inhabitants.

From this mindset, Erik dove into high school, where he was confronted with the painful reality that humyns and their multiple extensions (cars, bulldozers, chainsaws, legislation, politics, etc.) were threatening the long term existence of the very earth that sustains all life on its surface. Throughout his high school years, Erik fell in love with music (specifically “hardcore-punk”) and the immediate resistance that coupled the sub-culture that existed under its umbrella. It was here he got his first taste of community organizing.

Around the ripe age of 16, Erik started a band with his brother Chris and their mutual friend Jesse. Through this medium and his local distro “Land base or your life”, Erik used the shows he organized to educate participants about the benefits of anarchism and self liberation.

In October 2007, Erik traveled to Washington, DC to protest the “International Monetary Fund” and the “World Bank”. It was here that he first started contemplating the RNC in St. Paul. On the long drive home, Erik decided it was long past time he moved to the Twin Cities.

On August 30th, 2008, Erik was snatched off the street by two Ramsey County Sheriff’s deputies (with the help of a paid federal informant) and charged with “Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism” under the Minnesota PATRIOT act with 7 other local organizers.

PRESENT: Between his court dates Erik spends most his free time falling in love, playing music, and working to support other RNC arrestees.

(Erik took a non-cooperating plea agreement on August 27, 2010.  He agreed to plead guilty to gross misdemeanor conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property, and will serve 91 days in jail beginning October 20, 2010–likely to be reduced to approximately two months with the standard good-time reduction.  In court, the only act Erik admitted to was talking about tipping over newspaper boxes before the 2008 RNC.  After originally being charges with terrorism, the plea deal shows the weakness of the state’s case against both Erik and the 8 as a whole.)