Los Angeles–On June 16, over 100 demonstrators gathered at the Alhambra court building in support of longtime Chicano community activist Carlos Montes. He is charged with six counts, mostly possession of firearms, though his guns are all registered.

After the hearing, he spoke to his supporters outside the court building. He said his arrest is a “broadening” of the Sept. 24, 2010, FBI raids when 23 Minneapolis and Chicago anti-war activists were served with grand jury subpoenas. The pretext for the investigation is “material support of terrorism.” All the activists were just exercising their First Amendment rights in a peaceful way. A week after the September raid, Carlos moderated a solidarity rally at the downtown Los Angeles Federal Building in support of the 23 anti-war activists.

The attack on Carlos started in the early morning of May 17 when the L.A. County Sheriff S.W.A.T. team and FBI agents broke down Carlos’s front door and stormed into his home. They arrested him, took his computers, cell phones and paper documents, and questioned him about his political affiliations.

We demand return of all confiscated materials and an end to the repression and grand jury proceedings against anti-war activists. We ask that letters of support for Carlos be mailed to stopfbila@gmail.com. Call or write Attorney General Eric Holder, the White House and Congressional representatives.

–Activist