[Peace] article that appeared on Portside, Sept 28, 8:56 pm

[Belden Fields]

September 24, 2020 -- Update -- At least four known
houses were raided this morning including another
location at Stevens Square. There were also at least
two subpoenas served on activists. Keep on alert! Know
your rights! Don't talk to the FBI!

On Friday morning, three houses in the Minneapolis area
are believed to have been raided by SWAT teams. While
we have few details right now, the FBI appears to be
targeting people associated with the Freedom Road
Socialist Organization. Besides the raids in
Minneapolis, houses in Michigan, North Carolina and
Chicago were also targeted.

Raids occurred at 1823 Riverside, above the Hard Times
Cafe, and the 2900 block of Park Ave. One other raid is
reported, as well. Outside Hard Times Cafe, three
unmarked black SUVs (one with an Illinois license
plate) sat in the parking area as of 10am, when a
lawyer observed 8 FBI agents sitting in the residence
examining materials. Otherwise the scene was calm.

Agents had broken in the door there at 7am Friday
morning, breaking an aquarium in the process.

The federal search warrants appear to be focusing on
seizing electronic devices, international travel and
allegeing "co-conspirators". They do not authorise
arrests.

The search warrant for 1823 Riverside, the residence of
activist Mick Kelly, sought information "regarding
ability to pay for his own travel" to Palestine and
Colombia from 2000 to today. The warrant hyped
potential documents indicating any
contacts/facilitation with the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC), Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Lebanon' s Hezbollah
-- what it called "FTOs" or "foreign terrorist
organizations". It mentioned seeking information on the
alleged "facilitation of other individuals in the US to
travel to Colombia, Palestine and any other foreign
location in support of foreign terrorist organizations
including but not limited to FARC, PFLP and Hezbollah".

The wording of the warrant appears to indicate the
government seeks to create divisions among social
justice and international soldarity activists by hyping
alleged connections to what they call "foreign
terrorist organizations."

The warant also sought information on "Kelly's travel
to and from and presence in MN, and other foreign
countries [sic] to which Kelly has tavelled as part of
his work in FRSO [Freedom Road Socialist
Organization]", as well as materials related to his
finances and the finances of FRSO, and all computer and
electronic devices.

The federal warrant was signed by Judge Susan Nelson at
3:30pm , September 23.