RNC '08 Report: Links: Arrestee Support Organizations

Organizations

Coldsnap Legal Collective: http://coldsnaplegal.org

From the website: Coldsnap Legal Collective is a legal collective based in the Twin Cities. We are an autonomous collective whose purpose is to work in solidarity with other groups or individuals in order to EDUCATE, EMPOWER, and SUPPORT the radical community by sharing knowledge, raising awareness, and developing a network of legal support and solidarity. Although we are currently focusing on preparations for the upcoming RNC, we are excited to be working in the long term to strengthen our community with legal support and resources.

We are involved in the following legal support work before, during, and after the RNC: Educating the activist community and the public through trainings and the making and distribution of educational materials; Providing direct support for arrestees by operating a jail support and legal hotline and making sure that their immediate needs are met in the case of arrest; Setting up jail and court support; Organizing a legal street team to give ad hoc trainings, alert people of their rights on the ground, witness and document events and maintain communication between the office and the field; Alerting the public about legal issues, events, and the status of arrestees through corporate and independent media sources; Networking and communicating with local and national activist groups and communities, including other legal collectives and legal workers; and connecting activists with professional legal support and facilitating communication between these groups.

Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure (CRASS): http://rncaftermath.org

From the website: The Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure is a non-hierarchical coalition of RNC arrestees and community allies, including local groups such as Coldsnap Legal Collective, Friends of the RNC 8, National Lawyers Guild – MN, Communities United Against Police Brutality, Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Indymedia, and Veterans for Peace.

CRASS provides multifaceted support to those arrested during the 2008 Republican National Convention to ensure that all interested arrestees have the support necessary to fight their charges and stand up for free speech. The first meeting of arrestees and supporters took place two days after the end of the convention and meetings have continued regularly since. CRASS has a travel fund available to aid arrestees in returning to the Twin Cities for their court dates, is actively working on court solidarity strategies to support those still facing charges, and is dedicated to aiding and facilitating civil suits.

Food Not Bombs-Minneapolis: http://myspace.com/minneapolisfnb

Among other community work, Food Not Bombs provides meals to out of town RNC arrestees returning for court dates and RNC-related solidarity meetings.

National Lawyers Guild-Minnesota: http://www.nlgminnesota.org

From the website: The Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild is an activist legal/bar association working within Minnesota and the surrounding region. Our membership includes attorneys, legal workers, jailhouse lawyers and law students. We partner with four local student chapters of the National Lawyers Guild at Hamline Law School, St. Thomas Law School, the University of Minnesota Law School, and William Mitchell College of Law. Currently our major areas of work include providing legal support for a wide range of local activists, preparing for the 2008 Republican National Convention, immigrant rights organizing and legal support, and working to apply international human rights treaties to local struggles. We are also active in the anti-war movement and the local Coalition for Palestinian Rights.

Specific Arrestee Support Groups

Friends of the RNC 8: http://rnc8.org

From the website: The RNC 8 are organizers against the 2008 Twin Cities Republican National Convention who have been falsely charged in response to their political organizing: Luce Guillen-Givins, Max Specktor, Nathanael Secor, Eryn Trimmer, Monica Bicking, Erik Oseland, Robert Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald.

On Saturday, August 30th 2008, the Ramsey County, Minnesota Sheriff’s Department executed search warrants on three houses, seizing personal and common household items and arresting RNC organizers Monica Bicking, Garrett Fitzgerald, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, and Eryn Trimmer. Later that day Luce Guillen-Givins was arrested leaving a public meeting at a park. Rob Czernik and Max Specktor were arrested on Monday, September 1. These arrests were preemptive, targeting known organizers in an attempt to derail 2008 anti-RNC protests in St. Paul, MN before the convention had even begun. The “RNC 8″ are now charged with conspiracy to riot in the 2nd degree in the furtherance of terrorism, a 2nd degree felony which carries the possibility of several years in prison and is the first ever use of Minnesota’s PATRIOT Act.

The Milwaukee Three: http://www.helpmkethree.blogspot.com

From the website: On Saturday, January 17th, 2009, Karen Meissner and Christina Vana of Milwaukee, WI found warrants had been issued for their arrests after reading an article published by the Associated Press, which comments on an incident relating to the protests during the Republican National Convention in September 2008. Immediately Karen and Christina traveled to St. Paul, MN and within 24 hours of reading their names in the paper, went with their lawyers to the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center. Here they were taken into custody and each charged with Aiding and Abetting Assault in the Second Degree, a charge which carries a maximum sentence of seven years and/or a $14,000 fine. Bail was set at $30,000 each, a total of $60,000. This extremely large amount was made possible by the active media attention which still surrounds the Republican National Convention. Many people charged with rape receive bail a fraction of the amount. Sixty thousand dollars was an impossible amount to raise, but within two days, friends and supporters from around the country raised the $6,500 necessary to bond them out of jail...

Dave Mahoney was temporarily in the US and due to return to his home in England before the new year. He was arrested by the FBI during the Republican National Convention in September 2008 and has been charged with 3 counts of aiding and abetting 2nd degree assault and 3 counts of terrorist threats, for an incident that apparently has the loosest connections imaginable to a so called 'assault'. Trapped in Minneapolis, Dave now faces expensive legal costs and over 20 years in prison. As numerous RNC related charges are dropped, it is clear to the community in the Twin Cities that Susan Gaertner - the prosecutor of all RNC related felonies- is desperate to justify the temporary police state in St Paul while providing a framework for her run for governor in 2010. Dave, currently out on bond, remains determined and active within his community. He could be separated from his loved ones for a long time even if he doesn't get convicted of a crime so he needs all the support he can!

Support the Texas Two: http://www.freethetexas2.com

From the website: During the Republican National Convention in Minnesota last September, law enforcement conspired to repress people and free speech through brutality in the streets and entrapment and trumped up charges in court. More than 800 people were arrested, including journalists from NPR, AP and local radio and newspapers. Only 21 cases (less than 3%) were found to be prosecutable, which included Bradley Crowder and David McKay from Midland, Texas.

It is not over! Like many activists before them, our own Texas2 fell victim to an FBI informant and provocateur. David McKay and Bradly Crowder of Austin have been denied bail and held in a federal holding facility in Minnesota since September. They could not even see their families over the holidays. We need money to help pay their mounting legal fees and send them books and letters. Please, help take some of the hefty financial burden off their families and help them continue to educate themselves and their fellow inmates with books and resources. Every little bit helps. Support the Texas2! Support the RNC8! Free all prisoners of conscience!

Help Dave Mahoney: http://helpdavemahoney.blogspot.com

From the website: Dave was riding his bike to the grocery store with his girlfriend on the 4th of September 2008, when an un-marked van pulled up, and two men wearing FBI shirts inexplicably bundled him in, and drove off. Dave was one of the protesters assembled at the Republican National Convention in the City that week, and was there to peacefully remind America and the rest of the world of some of the atrocities, and in-justices millions of people endure everyday across the globe - many of which link directly to the actions & policy of the Republican party. Instead, Dave's become one of the victims...being accused of 'aiding and abetting', he's facing trumped up charges of Assault, and Terroristic threats; if convicted he could get up to 21 years in jail AND a huge fine...

Dustin Matchett's Support Website: http://supportdustin.wordpress.com/

From the website: Dustin Matchett of Santa Cruz, CA is a friend. A beautiful, compassionate, caring and expressive individual, Dustin's music and presence in our communities has been deeply meaningful. He has been stolen by the State of Minnesota in their efforts to criminalize dissent and justify their absurd conduct last summer during the RNC.

Support Jesse James http://supportjessejames.wordpress.com/

From the website: Jesse James Forrey is a friend, a brother, a musician and artist, writer and student, teacher and dog lover. He spends his time helping raise the children in his life, playing the banjo, taking and offering community classes, and volunteering his time to help create healthy communities. Jesse, 27, was arrested at the RNC protests in the Twin Cities last September, and is fighting a felony charge of criminal damage to property in the first degree . He is from California and courageously waits to return to his home and family.