Benefit Shows are now "Eco-Terrorism"

On June 12th, Modesto readers of the corporate newspaper the Modesto Bee, looked at the Local News section to read this:

"The FBI alerted a dozen or so law enforcement agencies, including the Modesto Police Department, about ecoterrorist plans for protests this weekend.

"The FBI called us Thursday just giving us a heads-up," said Detective Mike Hermosa, assigned to the department's Criminal Intelligence Unit.

The protests, apparently linked to the Earth Liberation Front, aim to support imprisoned arsonist Jeff "Free" Luers.
Hermosa said a Modesto group called Direct Action Anti-Authoritarians planned a benefit here this weekend for Luers. But, the detective said, the group canceled the event for unknown reasons.

Today marks the the fourth anniversary of Luers' incarceration in an Oregon prison. He was convicted of setting fire to three sport utility vehicles at a Chevrolet dealership in Eugene, and an attempted arson at an oil company in 2000, and he is serving a sentence of 22 years and eight months.

The Web site freefreenow.org, in a listing of today's planned protests, indicates that Direct Action Anti-Authoritarians in Modesto "will be handing out some fliers and doing outreach on Jeff's case."

The FBI bulletin did not identify specific targets, said Tor Bjornstad, a police commander in Olympia, Wash., which, like Modesto, received an alert from the FBI.

He said other cities on the alert list included Eugene; Ore.; San Francisco; Lawrence, Kan.; Morgantown, W.Va.; Worcester, Mass.; Portland, Maine; and Lake Worth, Fla.

Bjornstad said his department contacted what it considered potential targets, including auto dealerships, building contractors and the Port of Olympia, which exports timber.
The ELF has been linked to fires and vandalism at car dealerships, construction sites, agricultural research labs and logging operations.

The group has defended its actions as efforts to stop companies from profiting from exploitation of the environment"

The Moving City Collective of Fresno is conducting their own event in Fresno (http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/06/1685075.php), and issued a press release in solidarity with the DAAA Collective, and to bring justice to Jeff "Luers" case.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 12, 2004***


Valley Organizers of Legal Defense Fundraiser for Jeff "Free" Luers, refute FBI Terror Alerts as intimidation.



*** Notice: the following statement has been released on behalf of the organizers of the June 12th Fresno Free “Free” event. Legal observers will be present to protect the rights of those gathered. ***


* * * M O V E C I T Y C O L L E C T I V E S T A T E M E N T * * *
:
Recent FBI Terror Alerts have marked events held in the valley to raise money and awareness on behalf of Jeff ‘Free’ Luers as ‘eco-terrorist plans for protests’. This allegation incorrect and is an intimidation tactic aimed to stop fundraising for Jeff ‘Free’ Luers legal defense.

While many within the Move City Collective may not agree upon the use of violence; we understand how the loss of clean air, water, and food supplies; ecological devastation; and rampant environmental racism could cause an individual to take strong steps in self defense from corporate ecological destruction. As all citizens have a right to a legal defense, FBI alerts aimed at those who work to fundraise for a fair legal defense for Jeff ‘Free’ Luers’ is a clear case of governmental intimidation and heavy-handedness.

We wish to stand in solidarity with those in Modesto who will be out to raise awareness about Jeff ‘Free’ Luers and other political prisoners held by the United States government in the face of current FBI intimidation and Move City Collective continues to plan on holding a house party fundraiser for Luers’ legal defense. Law Enforcement authorities are advised that the event will be peaceful and are respectfully requested to handle themselves in a likewise manner.

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