JTTF "Little Green Scare" comes to DC area at circus protest in VA

An animal rights activist was arrested on FELONY charges by the FBI at protests of
the Ringling Brothers circus at the Patriot Center, George Mason University, in
Virginia near DC.From DC
Indymedia:http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/142963/index.phpFELONY arrest at
circus demo-JTTF involvedOn April 11, an undercover FBI agent associated with a
Joint Terrorism Task Force, based in Prince William County, arrested an activist on
FELONY mask charges at the Ringling Brothers protest at the Patriot
Center.http://dc.indymedia.org/usermedia/audio/4/mini_green_scare.mp3 Plus PHOTOS of
FBI agent involved!This is the latest and most serious in a string of suspicious
arrests, all but one of animal rights activists, in the DC area. The JTTF
involvement solves a lot of mysteries concerning harassment of activists in this
area.Due to both the pattern of arrests and severity of this latest case, we've got
a "mini Green Scare" right here in the DC area. Since FBI agent Vinvent Antignano,
badge #1035(the one involved Friday) and his buddies are based in Prince William
County(and also involved in anti "gang" and other roundups of immigrants by the FBI,
we know where they get their ideas.While this does not rise to the level of the
massive raids and deportations of immigrants around here(no doubt contrary to
Vinvent's wishes!), nor to the decades in prison faced by Green Scare defendants
elsewhere, the possibility of 9 months in a VA jail hellhole is nothing to sneeze
at-and that's what's at stake in this latest case.Here's the kicker-GMU students
protesting WITHOUT masks have bee subject to campus "discipline" that can include
expulsion, while masked protesters are treated as "terrorists" and prosecuted on
felony charges. The effect of this is to ban ALL protest at the circus, in clear
contravention of the right of free speech.This kind of thing creates an incentive to
replace speech(where cops have time to respond) with direct action(where they do not
when groups like the ALF deploy at night).In fact, this case and previous cases at
HLS demos fit the time-honored pattern where ALF et all put points on the board and
never get caught, so cops arrest above-ground, legal protesters instead, like they
just did in Virginia.One final point-at previous HLS demos, when I chased Vinvent
Antignano with my camera, he ran like a rabbit pursued by howling
wolves!**************************************************Here is the communique that
went out concerning this case:FBI Agent Arrests Animal Rights Activist at George
Mason UniversityOn Saturday, April 12, an FBI agent arrested an animal rights
activist at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. The activist was charged with
wearing a mask in public—a Class 6 felony in Virginia.On April 5, the arrested
activist attended a protest at GMU and wore a mask. After the GMU Police Department
identified the activist, a warrant was issued for his arrest. When he appeared at a
protest one week later, he was identified and subsequently tackled and arrested. The
arrested activist was protesting Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for
their history of animal abuse.The FBI agent who arrested the activist is part of the
Joint Terrorism Task Force and is based in Prince William, VA. His name is Vincent
Antignano and his badge number is #1035. He was stalking the arrested activist after
he protested on numerous occasions against a private company, Huntingdon Life
Sciences, which conducts medical tests on animals.The activist was arrested for
violating Virginia's law on face masks, which states "it shall be unlawful for any
person over sixteen years of age while wearing any mask, hood, or other device
whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered (§18.2-422 )"Prior
the protest, the arrested activist was convicted on trumped up charges involving a
fur protest. A Washington, D.C.–based judge originally sentenced the activist to
nine-months in jail but suspended the sentence on condition that the activist not
violate law in the next year. On account of the mask arrest, the activist may have
to spend those nine months in jail.Virginia's mask law is obscure and rarely
enforced. The same weekend the arrested activist was issued an arrest warrant, three
other activists were also issued arrest warrants. Those three activists are current
or former students at GMU. The arrest warrants were later dropped except for the
individual who was arrested on Saturday, April 12.Please help animal rights
activists at George Mason University. GMU campus police identified the activist and
selectively enforced Virginia's mask law. Additionally, activists have been harassed
at GMU by campus police in the last week while protesting Ringling Brothers
Circus.Voice your outrage to Christine LaPaille, Vice President of University
Relations for George Mason University. Her e-mail address is clapaill (at) gmu.edu
and her phone number is 703-993-8860. Christine LaPaille can be reached via fax at
703-993-8899. Also, please voice your outrage to Ben Crandall, Associate Director of
University Operations for George Mason University. His e-mail is bcrandal (at)
gmu.edu and his phone number is 703-993-4503. He can also be reached via fax at
703-993-2850.Sincerely,Animal Rights Activists at George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
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