The National Day of Solidarity for Scott is only days away! If you’re in Minneapolis, join us for food, fun, and good company! And don’t miss the official Conspiracy Tour kickoff event! Be among the first to join the Conspiracy!

Featuring:
- “Conspiracy: the Musical,” a puppet show extravaganza
- Music by our friend Heidi Barton Stink (http://www.myspace.com/bartonstink)
- Pre-Tour Discussion and Potluck

* When: Friday, July 23rd, 5-7:30pm for food and games
* Where: Powderhorn Park (near the stage), Minneapolis

If you’re able, please bring a dish to share. We’ll make sure to have some vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available, but bring what you need with some to spare if you can. Donations are appreciated for Scott’s legal defense fund.

Not in Minneapolis? There’s still time to arrange a solidarity event for Scott in your town! Grab some friends, do something fun, spread the word about Scott’s case, and contribute to creating a strong culture of resistance and solidarity across the nation!
 
——
The Conspiracy Tour hits the road in just one week! It’s been alleged that the Tour will include a musical puppet show, a scintillating presentation on the charges the activists are facing, and various (some would say nefarious) ways you can join the Conspiracy to support targets of state repression. In addition to the usual perks of joining a conspiracy, co-conspirators will be learning ways to strengthen and protect their communities from future incidences of state repression. You know, just in case.

Folks going on the Tour have been busy getting ready to cross the continent to raise support and solidarity for the RNC 8 and Scott DeMuth (an activist from Minneapolis who’s facing conspiracy charges under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act). Don’t believe it? Check out the evidence for yourself!

“We’re Getting Ready for Tour” promo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB5LjnUD7oA

Check out the Tour schedule below and the website (http://conspiracytour.wordpress.com) for up-to-date info:
 
July 25: Winona, MN
Location: 578 E. 4th St, next to Chong’s Noodle House in the old St. Vincent thrift store
Time: 6pm potluck, 7pm presentation
July 26: Madison, WI
Location: Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative, 426 W. Gilman Street, Madison, WI 53703
Time: 7pm
July 27: Milwaukee, WI
Location: Cream City Collectives, 732 E. Clarke St.
Time: 7pm
July 28: Chicago, IL
Location: DePaul Law School, 25 E. Jackson Blvd., Lewis Center, Rm. #703
Time: 5pm-8pm
July 29: Cleveland,  OH
Location: St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd.
Time: 7pm
July 30: Pittsburgh, PA Grand Jury Resistance Training!
Location: 623 Kirtland St, Point Breeze, Pittsburgh
Time: 7pm
July 31: Pittsburgh, PA Tour Stop!
Location: The Union Project, 801 North Negley Avenue
Time: 2pm
August 1: Buffalo, NY
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 2: New York City, NY
Location: Book Thug Nation, 100 N. 3rd St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Time: 7pm
August 3: Philadelphia, PA
Location: Wooden Shoe Books, 704 South St.
Time: 7pm
August 4: Washington, DC
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 6: Carrboro, NC
Location: Internationalist Books, 405 W. Franklin St.
Time: 7pm
August 7: Asheville, NC
Location: Firestorm Cafe & Books, 48 Commerce St.
Time: 6pm
August 8: Louisville, KY
Location: Women in Transition Space, 806 E. Chestnut St.
Time: 6pm
August 9: Bloomington, IN
Location: Boxcar Books & Community Center, 408 E. 6th St.
Time: 7pm
August 10: St. Louis, MO
Location: Black Bear Bakery, 2639 Cherokee St.
Time: TBD
August 11: Omaha, NE
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 12: Denver, CO
Location: 27 Social Center, 2727 W. 27th Ave.
Time: 6pm Grand Jury Resistance, 7pm Conspiracy Tour
August 13: Salt Lake City, UT
Location: Boing!
Time: TBD
August 14: San Francisco, CA
Location: Station 40
Time: 7:30pm
August 15: East Bay, CA
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 16: Santa Cruz, CA
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Ave.
Time: 7pm
August 18: Portland, OR
Location: Red & Black Cafe, 400 Southeast 12th Ave.
Time: 7pm
August 19: Tacoma, WA
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 20: Seattle, WA
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 23: Rock Island, IL
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 24: somewhere in Iowa
Location: TBD
Time: TBD
August 26: Minneapolis, MN
Location: TBD
Time: TBD

June 2010 brought thousands upon thousands of dedicated activists to the streets of Toronto to protest and confront the G8/G20, as “world leaders” conspired to further destroy our communities and the world around us for the sake of power and profit. Residents of Toronto and activists from all over Canada and the world were met by an army of police officers with a budget of $1 billion to fund their campaign of repressive violence, fear and intimidation. This campaign was designed to sweep the streets of anyone daring to speak out against the destructive policies perpetuated by the G8/G20 and to scare people away from organizing resistance to these policies.

Not content with attacking people in the streets and arresting nearly 1100 protesters, the Canadian government also attacked the very ideas of community and organizing by arresting 17 prominent community organizers from around Canada and charging them with conspiracy. Those who have been released from jail face harsh bail conditions that prevent them from associating with people in their communities and from exercising their rights to organize and voice their dissent. This attempt at breaking solidarity amongst and with the accused must not and will not be successful.

Around two years earlier and 1300 kilometers to the west, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota experienced similar repression and attacks by the state during the 2008 Republican National Convention. Prior to the convention, police preemptively arrested eight anarchist organizers, now known as the RNC 8, through a series of raids and targeted grabs. During the convention, the police attacked thousands of protesters who had taken to the streets, ultimately arresting 818 people.

In July 2010, the RNC 8 and their supporters are still gearing up for trial, still fighting back against the state’s attempts to disrupt our organizing and resistance. The state initially charged the RNC 8 with conspiracy “in the furtherance of terrorism,” but our resistance exposed the political motivations behind these charges and forced the prosecutor to drop them. Our organizing will continue to support the RNC 8 as they endure a trial that could last up to two months. Our solidarity will continue to defend not only these eight defendants, but the rights of all of us to associate with each other, organize with each other, and resist the policies that aim to destroy our communities and our world.

The parallels between our experiences over the last two years and those of people fighting back in Toronto are clear. We are all part of the same struggle for a better world. We are all affected by state repression. And we all face the same enemies regardless of which side of which artificial border we find ourselves on.

We stand in solidarity with everyone struggling against state repression in Toronto. We denounce the Canadian government and all its agents for their violence in the service of the rich and powerful.

And as local organizers are left to deal with any summit’s aftermath, it is important to remember that we are still many, and the state still consists of but a few self-proclaimed leaders.  By leveraging our collective power, all of us can take direct control of our lives and defend all those facing government attack.

With love and solidarity,
The RNC 8 Defense Committee
http://rnc8.org
info(A)rnc8.org
 
For more information on the aftermath from the G8/G20, visit the Toronto Community Mobilization Network:  g20.torontomobilize.org

Join us for a free meal prepared by the RNC 8 and friends, Tuesday, July 20th. This is a great opportunity to stop on by to enjoy tasty free food and continue to show your support over the summer as we prepare for a trial in the fall.

As always, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options will be available.

When: Tuesday, July 20th
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Where: 3104 16th Ave S. (Walker Church basement)

The State of Minnesota alleges that organizing a convergence space for protesters to have meetings, eat free meals, and check teh interwebs (on computers that an FBI informant helpfully set up!) makes the RNC 8 guilty of conspiracy. The Federal government claims that Scott DeMuth’s writings and associations suggest that he is an anarchist and therefore a domestic terrorist, making him guilty of conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.

We say organizing resistance to state repression isn’t conspiracy. It’s survival. We say living our lives according to our principles isn’t terrorism. It’s our right. We say we’ll continue organizing no matter how much the state tries to destroy us and our communities.

So if this is conspiracy, we say to you…Join the Conspiracy!

This summer, the Conspiracy Tour is going on a whirlwind, month-long excursion across the continental United States to raise awareness of and solidarity for political activists from Minneapolis, MN who are facing severe state repression. Come join us in raising political support and much-needed legal defense funds for the RNC 8 and Scott DeMuth.

It’s been alleged that the Tour will include a musical puppet show, a scintillating presentation on the charges the activists are facing, and various (some would say nefarious) ways you can join the Conspiracy to support targets of state repression. In addition to the usual perks of joining a conspiracy, co-conspirators will be learning ways to strengthen and protect their communities from future incidences of state repression. You know, just in case.

Come find solidarity, strategizing, resistance, and community that the state could only dream of! This will be a roadshow to remember even before you read about it in your FBI file.

Find out more about the Tour: http://conspiracytour.wordpress.com.
Questions? Wanna help out? Hit us up at midwestconspiracy(A)gmail.com.

About the RNC 8
The RNC 8–Max Specktor (who will be speaking on the West Coast stops of the tour), Erik Oseland, Eryn Trimmer, Garret Fitzgerald, Luce Guillén-Givins, Monica Bicking, Nathanael Secor, and Rob Czernik–were preemptively arrested in a series of raids by heavily armed SWAT teams and other targeted arrests on the weekend before the Republican National Convention in 2008. The criminal complaints are based on the allegations of confidential reliable informants and an undercover Ramsey County Sheriff’s deputy, who infiltrated the RNC Welcoming Committee and conducted surveillance on the activists for about a year. Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner initially slapped them with “terrorism” enhancements in the first known use of Minnesota’s version of the PATRIOT Act. After a successful pressure campaign against Gaertner’s gubernatorial bid, she dismissed the terrorism enhancement charges. The 8 still face felony charges of conspiracy to commit riot in the 2nd degree and conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property in the 1st degree. Their joint trial will begin on October 25, 2010 and could last up to two months. More info at http://rnc8.org.

About Scott DeMuth
In November 2009, Scott DeMuth and Carrie Feldman were subpoenaed to a federal grand jury in Iowa investigating a 2004 Animal Liberation Front raid at the University of Iowa. Though they had no information about the incident, they both refused to cooperate with the grand jury on principle and were jailed for civil contempt. Carrie was held for four months before being released, and will be speaking about her experience on this tour. Two days after being jailed, Scott was indicted for conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. He has been released with conditions pending trial and has been re-indicted twice in response to his attorneys’ motions to dismiss. In March 2010, the Utah house of well-known animal rights activist and former political prisoner Peter Young was raided on a federal search warrant from Iowa. The raid happened only days before Carrie’s release and lists Scott and others by name. More info at http://davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com.

Tour Schedule (more updated info with locations on our website)
Winona July 25
Madison J26
Milwaukee J27
Chicago J28
Cleveland J29
Pittsburgh July 30 + 31
Buffalo August 1
NYC A2
Philadelphia A3
DC A4
Carrboro A6
Asheville A7
Louisville A8
Bloomington, IN A9
St Louis A10
Omaha A11
Denver A12
Salt Lake City A13
Bay Area A14 +15
Santa Cruz A16
Portland A18
Tacoma A19
Seattle A20
Rock Island A23
Iowa City A24
Minneapolis A26

This tour is part of the We Are Everywhere campaign, a month of decentralized anarchist activities and events to promote visibility and outreach in August 2010.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Speakers include:

CARRIE FELDMAN - Grand Jury resister
DAVID PELLOW - U of M professor
NEALA SCHLEUNING - Long-time community activist
JORDAN KUSHNER - from the RNC 8 defense team

And don’t miss the *satirical* skit about the investigation! (Yes, Officer, those asterisks were for you…)

SATURDAY, JULY 10TH, 4:30 PM
WALKER CHURCH (3104 16th Ave S.)
REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED

If you’ll be at the US Social Forum in Detroit next week, join us for the strategizing session as we head into the last few months before trial:

Resisting State Repression, Defending the RNC 8 Workshop
Wednesday, June 23rd, 1-3pm
WSU Old Main: 1129

And look for the Conspiracy Tour slinking its way through a city near you this summer. The tour will be a grand ol’ time filled with up-to-the-minute info on the RNC 8, Scott DeMuth (charged under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act), and Hugh and Tiga (facing charges related to anti-infrastructural organizing in response to the development of I-69). There’ll be solidarity, there’ll be strategizing, there’ll be resistance, there’ll be community in the face of repression. Don’t miss your opportunity to join the conspiracy!

http://conspiracytour.wordpress.com

Email us at info[at]rnc8[dot]org for more info about the RNC 8’s support needs and to get involved!

In solidarity,

The RNC 8 Defense Committee

********************

Wednesday, June 9th was the fifth and last day of the RNC 8 motion hearings.

Judge Warner rejected the defense’s motion to call FBI informant Andrew Darst, and with that the oral arguments of the probable cause hearing ended. Both sides will submit further written arguments and the judge will take the issues under advisement after July 14th, determining whether there is probable cause to charge the defendants at all. If she determines that there is not enough evidence to determine probable cause, the charges will be thrown out.
The hearing then turned to whether the 8 had standing to contest the evidence collected during the raids on the convergence space and several houses prior to the RNC. First, the court examined whether any of the defendants had just cause to contest the admission of evidence from the convergence space raid.

The defense called Betsy Raasch-Gilman as a witness to establish standing. Betsy signed the lease to the convergence space as a board member of Jack Pine Community Center, which was the non-profit fiscal sponsor for the WC. Luce was also a board member of the Jack Pine. The prosecutor called the signing fraudulent, referring repeatedly to an e-mail in which Betsy called it a “scheme.” Betsy later testified that this word was used lightheartedly as a synonym for “plan.” She had signed the lease through the Jack Pine so that she would not be held personally responsible for damage to the space or rent.

The prosecution’s arguments in the standing hearing contradicted their arguments throughout this case so far. While all their previous witnesses had tried to indicate that the 8 had responsibility for nearly everything in the convergence space, not to mention in the streets during the RNC, the prosecution attempted to disassociate them from the space for the purpose of this hearing. At one point, the prosecution asserted that, “at most, the defendants were social guests” and had no reasonable expectation of privacy in the convergence space. Rather, the prosecution asserted, Betsy was the only one who would have standing to challenge the raid. The prosecution further stated that there was no evidence that the 8 invited people in or turned them away from the space, owned any of the property there, or had even been at the space during the raid (a statement that was quickly corrected since several of the defendants had been there and this is a well-established fact). These statements were made despite Betsy’s testimony that the convergence space was advertised as the WC convergence space, was maintained and used by members of the WC, and that were one or two security people at the door to keep out corporate media, cops, and people using substances. These statements were also despite previous testimony from Deputy Marilyn Hedstrom (aka Norma Jean) that Luce, Rob, Betsy, and Monica all had keys to the space.

The prosecution also used the occasion of Betsy being on the stand to attempt an info grab. Betsy was asked whether she had seen any of the 8 in the convergence space at any time, who the members of the WC were at the time of raid, and whether she knew several other people who the prosecution listed in court. Betsy did not know most of them.

At the conclusion of the oral arguments, the judge ruled that the 8 did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the space, and so did not have standing to contest the raid. The judge then turned to the motions to suppress evidence from the house raids. Rather than hearing oral arguments on these motions, she read through the defense’s written arguments about how police reports had misstated and omitted important facts to justify the warrants for the raids. For example, the defense argued that informant Chris Dugger was a violent and unreliable informant because of a previous domestic abuse charge that was not disclosed in the warrant affidavit. The defense also argued that the description of a picture of a person holding a slingshot near a line of police officers neglected to mention that the person appears to be a young child. Similarly, the defense argued that the descriptions of the “We’re Getting Ready” video misrepresented the video since they did not identify its clearly satirical nature. The judge ruled that all the facts had been represented accurately enough to justify the warrants, and thus the evidence from the house raids would not be suppressed.

In brighter news, the prosecution declined to contest any of the motions that had been filed on Luce’s behalf regarding the suppression of evidence from unlawful searches and seizures she endured. Yay for victories!

The judge will take the remaining issues under advisement and rule at a later date. The next court hearing is in September, so we’ll remind you about that as the date draws closer.

Although the pre-trial hearings are done for a while, there is still much for the 8 and their lawyers to do to prepare for trial. And there’s something easy you can do to support them–write a letter to the editor! You can write a letter to the newspapers in your city, connecting what the RNC 8 are facing to what’s affecting your community, or to the papers in the Twin Cities (see below for info for those).

When you write your letter, some points to consider are:

* Testimony from informants has shown that year-long undercover investigations failed to produce evidence that the RNC 8 made any explicit agreements to riot or destroy property

* Deputy Chris Dugger couldn’t point to any evidence of a conspiracy, but he testified that anarchists try to support each other and live by their ideals

* Deputy Marilyn Hedstrom could only identify one illegal action she witnessed during her year-long undercover investigation: a banner hang in which she and two other paid informants were the only participants

* The state is grasping at straws to try to substantiate the political charges, even going so far as to argue that the clearly satirical “We’re Getting Ready” promotional video was a completely serious call for people to riot and destroy property

* Prosecutors have argued that the fact that people have been convicted of crimes from the RNC proves there was a conspiracy and therefore that the RNC 8 are guilty

* The court has ruled in favor of the prosecution’s claims that people don’t have reasonable expectations of protections against searches and seizures when they’re in public spaces exercising their 1st Amendments rights to free speech and association

* This extraordinarily drawn out case continues to progress despite budgetary woes in Minnesota, wasting resources that could be better spent on aiding communities

* Police investigators testified that they decided to investigate the RNC Welcoming Committee because of the group’s perceived political beliefs and approaches to effecting positive social change

* Paid FBI informant Andrew “Panda” Darst has evaded a subpoena, appearing not to live at the address on record with his probation officer, and the court has refused to hold him accountable for this

* Darst has been paid $1500 each month by the FBI, ostensibly to be at the prosecution’s beck and call for the case, but mysteriously disappears when the defense needs his testimony to show the state has no basis to its case

Want to write a letter to papers in the Twin Cities? Here’s what you need to know:

Star Tribune: Editorial Department, Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55488, fax to 612.673.4359, or submit via this form.

Pioneer Press: letters@pioneerpress.com

When your letter gets published, let us know at press[at]rnc8[dot]org.

June 10, 2010

Contact: Melissa Hill (RNC 8 Defense Committee), 612.886.4565, press@rnc8.org; Attorney: Robert Kolstad, 612-721-3425

Court Affirms Prosecution’s Attempt to Criminalize Activism, Proceeds in Case Against RNC 8

 Defense Attorneys Argue Against Unwarranted Raids, Misleading Affidavits and Elusive FBI Informant

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Yesterday, the RNC 8 completed the probable cause hearing, begun last month, a key step in determining whether their charges of conspiracy to riot and conspiracy to damage property will go to trial in October. Judge Teresa Warner is expected to issue a ruling on the defendants’ motion to dismiss the charges due to a lack of probable cause sometime in August. 

The probable cause hearing concluded without the testimony of paid FBI informant Andrew Darst, who has successfully evaded a subpoena for the hearing. Darst is currently being paid $1500 per month by the FBI to be on hand for testifying in the case and is legally required to keep a current address with his probation officer. Even so, all attempts to locate Darst have failed and Warner declined to compel him to appear.

“The prosecutors seem intent on using twisted logic to continue pursuing these trumped-up charges,” said Jude Ortiz of the RNC 8 Defense Committee. “We hope that a respect for the right to engage in political organizing will guide the ruling on the probable cause motion and that the charges will be thrown out.”

The judge also affirmed the prosecution’s arguments against suppressing evidence from the preemptive raids during the weekend before the 2008 Republican National Convention. Judge Warner agreed that police officers neglecting to include information about the obvious satire in the “We’re Getting Ready” video did not affect the legitimacy of the affidavits supporting the search warrants used in the raids. Previously, Ramsey County deputies had testified that they did not recognize satire in scenarios such as a bottle resembling a Molotov cocktail being lit and thrown into a barbecue grill to light a fire for cooking. Prosecutors also argued that people detained and searched in the politically motivated raid of the RNC Welcoming Committee Convergence Center, a political organizing space for protesters and their supporters, could not expect to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures because they were in a place open to the public.

“What we saw in court was the prosecutors and judge using technicalities in Minnesota law to negate 1^st and 4^th Amendment protections against government attempts to repress dissent,” said Ortiz. “If you were to ask the court, it seems they would say that you have the right to dissent as long as you do it on your own at home. It seems that if you associate with others, particularly in public, then it’s fair game for the police to trample your rights whenever they disagree with your perceived political beliefs.”

The next pre-trial hearing is scheduled in September. This hearing will be to determine trial logistics, including jury selection.

The RNC 8 may be available for media interviews. All inquiries and requests can be sent to the contact information above. For more information, visit http://www.RNC8.org. For late-breaking news, follow us on twitter@defendthernc8. Copies of the legal motions from the May and June hearings are located at www.rnc8.org/info.

###

RNC 8 Probable Cause Hearing Ends Tomorrow, Determines Whether Trial Will Proceed
Last day of pretrial hearings expected to show political motives behind the case

St. Paul -The RNC 8 will return to Ramsey County District Court to finish the probable cause hearing on Wednesday, June 9. Numerous witnesses were called during the last round of hearings in May, including informants Chris Dugger and Marilyn Hedstrom, who infiltrated the RNC Welcoming Committee before the 2008 Republican National Convention. In Wednesday’s hearing, additional testimony and closing statements will likely focus on evidence that the defendants are being prosecuted because of their political beliefs. The testimony given in the May hearings failed to establish probable cause to substantiate the conspiracy charges levied against the defendants, supporters have argued.

Judge Teresa Warner recently issued a ruling stating that she would not compel the testimony of Andrew Darst, the FBI informant who infiltrated the Welcoming Committee. Darst did not appear to live at his address on record with his probation officer when the defense initially attempted to subpoena him. Even though the FBI currently pays Darst $1500 a month to be on call for the RNC 8 trial proceedings, all attempts to locate him have been unsuccessful. Other witnesses are expected to testify during the probable cause hearing and remaining motions tomorrow.

What: Evidentiary and motion hearings in the RNC 8 trial

When: Wednesday, June 9, beginning at 9 a.m.

Where: Ramsey County Courthouse, Courtroom 1080, 15 W. Kellogg Blvd, St. Paul

Supporters are expected to fill the courtroom to demonstrate the high level of community support for the dismissal of the politically motivated charges. Copies of the legal motions that will be heard during the May and June hearings are located at www.rnc8.org/info.

Background on the RNC 8 case:
The RNC 8 were preemptively arrested before the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, some in raids by heavily armed SWAT teams. The criminal complaints are based on the allegations of “CRIs” (confidential reliable informants) and an undercover Ramsey County Sheriff’s deputy who infiltrated the RNC Welcoming Committee and conducted surveillance more than nine months before the convention. On April 8, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner dismissed “terrorism” counts against the defendants, who still face felony charges of conspiracy to commit riot in the 2nd degree and conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property in the 1st degree. The continued prosecution of the RNC 8 represents the government’s attempt to criminalize dissent and scapegoat a group of dedicated political organizers for the abuses of the over-the-top security regime during the convention that made evident the police state in St. Paul.

The RNC 8 may be available for media interviews. All inquiries and requests can be sent to the contact information above. For more information, visit http://www.RNC8.org. For late-breaking news, follow us on twitter @defendthernc8.
###

June 8: Free Community Meal with the RNC 8 Defense Committee
June 9: Court Hearing
June 22-26: US Social Forum, Detroit, MI

—–
June 8th Free Community Meal with the RNC 8 Defense Committee
When: Tuesday, June 8th
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Walker Community Church (in the basement)
Street: 3104 16th Ave S
City/Town: Minneapolis, MN
The RNC 8 will be back in court to finish the probable cause hearing
this Wednesday (June 9th). To help the experience be a little bit easier,
the Defense Committee is cooking them dinner. And you’re invited too!
This dinner will be in solidarity with the people murdered by Israel when
soldiers attacked the Freedom Flotilla that was attempting to deliver
humanitarian aid to Gaza. 
Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options will be available.
——
June 9th Court Hearing
Come join us for our next court hearing on Wednesday, June 9th, 9 a.m. at
the Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 Kellogg Blvd W, in downtown St. Paul. The
hearing should last the entire day so please plan to attend and show your
support.
According to the court’s calendar, we will be in Courtroom 1080. This
hearing will be a continuation of the probable cause hearings in May. There
are also other outstanding motions that will likely be addressed. For a
summary of what happened during the last round of hearings read the press
releases and court notes on our website at rnc8.org.
During the lunch break, free lunch will also be served to supporters usually
around noon. If the weather is nice, we’ll have it outside at the park
across the street on Kellogg Blvd.
For last minute updates, follow our twitter account @defendthernc8
—–
RNC 8 Events at the 2010 United States Social Forum in Detroit, MI, June 22 - 26
June 23rd USSF RNC 8 Workshop!
Resisting State Repression, Defending the RNC 8 Workshop
Wed, 06/23/2010 - 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Event Location:
WSU Old Main: 1129
Detroit, MI
This workshop will include background and an update on the case of the RNC
8, as well as a strategizing session to help create a movement response to their October trial. We seek to support their struggle and connect repression locally to the crackdown on dissent and resistance nationwide. A movement is only as strong as the defense of its arrestees and prisoners, and its challenge to the structures that allow the state and the prison industrial complex to operate. Thus, the desired outcome of this workshop is to create concrete plans for both supporting the RNC 8 during trial and defending everyone’s ability to organize towards a world based on justice and liberation for all.
http://organize.ussf2010.org/workshops

June 24th Prison Justice Movement Assembly
1:00pm
Cobo Hall Room O3-45
U.S. Social Forum, Detroit, MI
The United States is a prison empire: racist mass incarceration and widespread criminalization, torture and the targeting of political dissidents. From policing to the prison, state repression disrupts families, destroys lives, and debilitates movements. This repression impacts the grassroots: people of color, the poor, immigrant communities (including Latinos and Arab and Muslim people), women, queer and transgender people, and radical organizers from many communities and movements.
A number of vibrant and diverse organizations and networks are struggling to end this state violence by resisting the drug war and new modes of criminalization; challenging the incarceration of youth, women and queer and trans people; fighting against prison expansion, solitary confinement, torture, and the death penalty; and working to free political prisoners and establish civil and human rights for formerly incarcerated people. But we have been limited by geographic isolation, generational gaps and the sheer amount of work to be done on both sides of prison walls.
Although we face particular challenges by region or circumstance, we share a vision of justice and solidarity against confinement and control. We need to make our work more national in scope and more coordinated in action. The U.S. Social Forum and the Prison Justice Movement Assembly is our time to build greater coordination in regional campaigns around shared issues and develop a national strategy of action that unites our diverse campaigns against imprisonment and repression.
Sponsored/endorsed by (list in formation): California Coalition for Women in Prison, California Prison Moratorium Project, Free Mumia Abu Jamal Coalition, Freedom Archives, Human Rights Coalition, International Concerned Friends and Family of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Jericho Amnesty Movement, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Resistance in Brooklyn, RNC8 Defense Committee, Scott and Carrie Support Committee, The Ordinary People’s Society, War Resisters League, Grand Jury
Resistance Project
—-