Police and FBI targeting Long Beach Infoshop, arresting activists

comrade in jail! we need your help!

As some of you may have heard, a comrade and fellow anarchist activist, Matt "Rampage" Lamont has been jailed very recently and remains jailed in Orange County. He was arrested with another fellow activist and supporter of South Bay Food Not Bombs, Max Lucas, a juvenile, also in jail in OC's juvenile detention center.

They were pulled over in La Habra and arrested after a search of the car, revealing "gasoline cans" and they are both being charged with possession of an explosive destructive device.

They have been in some contact with a lawyer and comrade, Jim Demaegt, who is willing to help create and participate in a legal team to help free Rampage and Max. We need all the support we can get right now, especially law professors, lawyers, funds, and media contacts.

We believe, as does Jim, that this arrest is part of an ongoing conspiracy by the police and federal officers to violate the civil rights of those involved with activism, anarchism, and community organizing. We believe the Long Beach infoshop is being targeted as well, as it has been the sight of police spying and harassment, due only to their disdain for our political beliefs.

This is repression and it affects all of us. Any work we do to better our society is a threat to the current system and this arrest and the ongoing harassment and surveillance of activists is their retaliation for our efforts, proof that they will not tolerate dissent, "free speech," or any type of activity that encourages the rejection of the status quo. This affects the anti-globalization movement, the animal rights movement, the workers movements, and all the current movements toward liberation of the people of this country and the world.

Matt and Max need our support, we cannot let them face the repression that has been meant for all of us alone. There have been rumors that they were at a demonstration against Nazis, but this is not true, they were pulled over in a car, there was no demonstration. They may have been tailed, set-up, or conspired against. This is real, the repression is serious and the consequences of this affect us all.

Please contact the Long Beach Infoshop to see how you can help, or to make donations to the legal support fund. The phone number is 562-434-6934 and the address is 684 Redondo Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90815. Please forward this email to any lists you are on or anyone you feel should hear this, especially lawyers, experienced individuals, and political prisoner support groups.

Please feel free to respond via email as well, with questions, suggestions, or contact information. And if anyone knows when the ACLU and the Lawyers Guild meet, please let me or the infoshop know ASAP. We will have an info flyer about this ASAP as well and we need help distributing it.

Thank you!

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Jeff's Arrest and UPDATES on MAX and RAMPAGE'S Arraignment
by rtf 2:18am Wed Apr 24 '02    

Hello everyone,

A good friend Jeff was arrested in the court room at Rampage's arraignment for speaking out to show support. After he was arrested me and another person were told to leave the courthouse otherwise we'd be arrested for trespassing. The deputy's also forced another person out who was in no way associated with us. Jeff is being charged with contempt of court and unlawful talking to inmates. His arraignment is this thurs. I don't know the exact time so I'll be there at Fullerton court 8:30am to wait around and see.

As for rampage, he is being charged with 5 felony's. The charges are possession of an explosive, the use of an explosive, and I believe the rest are, possession of ingredients to make an explosive, intent to harm, and some warrants. Rampage requested that his arraignment be put off for another 3 weeks so legal preparation could be done on his behalf. The judge said okay but raised his bail from $50,000 up to $100,000. We will soon have a copy of the police report regarding rampage.

As for Max, I believe he is only being charged with possession of explosive. He has an attorney. He's a minor so he's under juvenile law which is an entirely different system.

For more information and/or questions/donations to the legal fund you can call the LB infoshop at 562-434-6934

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Hasan's Arrest and Update on LB Political Prisoners and Attack on Activists
by guest 8:22pm Wed Apr 24 '02    

Matt called today and said that him and Max were followed by Long Beach detectives into La Habra. They were pulled over by La Habra police, however the plain clothed LB detectives were present, and were the ones who searched their car. These are the gang unit detectives/officers who usually drive around in silver/dark blue cars. Matt is being charged with 5 felony counts: possession of destructive device, use of destructive device with intent to harm, sell/transport of destructive device, making a destructive device without permit. The judge at his arraignment said his 5th charge was his warrants. Matt's next arraignment is on May 14th at Fullerton Court. Department 7.

There has been consistent harassment by police at the LB infoshop. Today a cop in a silver car pulled up directly in front of the infoshop for several minutes. He stayed there completely idle. He glanced inside a few times but mostly kept looking forward as if he was "on guard," waiting to see who entered or left the premises. He wasn't doing anything until someone walked out of the infoshop and stood next to him. He then smiled and drove around the corner, and came back around the front before driving off. Earlier today a young man was being harassed by police in front of the infoshop. The police asked to search his bag, and asked if he had ever been inside the infoshop. When the police didn't get their way they decided to make a scene by turning on their sirens in attempt to scare the individual.

Jeff (who was arrested at Matt's arraignment) has his arraignment on Thurs, April 25th 8am at Fullerton court. His charges are contempt of court, and unlawful communication with inmates. These are misdemeanor charges.

I have been trying to get updates on Max. As far as I know he is still in Juvenile jail. If anyone has updates on his situation please post it around.

A math instructor at Cerritos college and member of the Long Beach Peace Network, Hasan Hasan, has been illegally detained by the INS and is now being held at the Long Beach Police Department. Without being given any reason Hasan Hasan was both fired from his job and arrested within a matter of minutes.

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Background on Police Harassment at Infoshop

The anarchists set up an infoshop November 1, 2001, here in Long Beach.  In less than three weeks they were visited five times by LBPD and once by the FBI.  The FBI has an office in the LB World Trade Center with a staff of four, one who recently joined them and was working in Washington D.C. office previously.

The infoshop sells books, records, shirts and has been used it to organize.  This includes an anti war group and a "Copwatch" group.  They issued the call for and did most of the organizing for a February 9, 2002 demonstration to protest the Long Beach PD's January 19 execution of a black woman, the third Black woman who has died at the hands of  the LB police in the past year.

Rampage led a contingent of "white block" and led the several block march.  I was the group's designated police liaison and I was instructed not to tell the police the march route.  That really provoked them. After the march and back in the park, Rampage led a small group of them in fronting the undercover cops, calling them Pigs etc.   The police have definitely monitored the shop.  I saw some of this myself.  Others have been followed.  Police even went to the apartment complex where one lives and questioned independently the manager and the security guard about one of the anarchist men.  The police said he was "under investigation."  I spoke about this to the head of intelligence for the LBPD, Sgt. Hertzog who said such activity was not being ordered by those in charge and said he would get back to me.  He did not.  That was early February.

About ten days ago, for several hours a large banner which read, "Off the Pigs" was hung over the infoshop door.  The police were videoed as they videoed the infoshop and, I imagine, the sign.

Please advise.  Bail is set at $50,000 and I think the court date is Tuesday.

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More on Hasan Hasan and Long Beach Area Peace Network (LBAPN) Emergency Meeting
Friday, April 26, 2002
6 pm - 8 pm

Most of you have heard about the arrest and immanent deportation of our LBAPN comrade, Hasan Hasan, the mathematics professor from Kuwait. Apparently, he was called into the Dean's Office at Cerritos College, fired, and then arrested by the INS for being in the US on a work permit without a job.

I suggest we meet at my house tomorrow night from 6 to 8 pm to discuss what LBAPN can do.  This will be a serious meeting, not a potluck or social event. I will have coffee, tea, and soft drinks, but no alcohol or other mind altering substances. We will begin the meeting by 6:30 and end no later than 8 pm.

We also need to talk about May Day. Among other things, LB Police Chief Lance will be holding a Community Forum at 7 pm next Wednesday (May Day) to hear community concerns about police related issues. This will be at Lindbergh Middle School Auditorium, located at 1022 East Market Street. The web site is:
http://www.ci.long-beach.ca.us/lbpd/content/2002%20Press%20Releases/pr_04-18-02.htm

Perhaps we need to ask for our First Amendment back?

I stopped by the meeting earlier tonight (Thursday, April 25) at the Infoshop on Redondo about Rampage and Jeff. I wasn't able to stay, but they will have someone at the LBAPN meeting Friday to give a report.

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EMERGENCY LB Political Prisoners!!!!
by Agent Oliver 6:02pm Wed Apr 24 '02    

help LB Political Prisoners !!!!

EMERGENCY MEETING FOR OUR JAILED FRIENDS!!!! EMERGENCY!!! EVERYONE ATTEND!!!!! FRIDAY 4/26/02 @ LB INFOSHOP (684 Redondo) 12noon

Over the past few days comrades Matt "Rampage," Max, Jeff, and Hasan Hasan have wound up in jail. Hasan Hasan, a math instructor at Cerritos college and member of the Long Beach Peace Network, has been illegally detained by the INS and is now being held at the Long Beach Police Department. Without being given any reason Hasan Hasan was both fired from his job and arrested within a matter of minutes. It is a time for all of us come together whether you are socialist, anarchist, communist, progressive or what ever the hell you sympathize with - we need to help those who are being targeted by this oppressive fascist system we live under.

An EMERGENCY meeting has been called to discuss about what we can do; leaflet, benefits, legal aid, rallies, etc., for Friday 4/26/02 at 12 noon at the Long Beach Infoshop at 684 Redondo. For directions call 562 434 6934.

w i t h o u t
s o l i d a r i t y
w e
c e a s e
t o
e x i s t .

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Subject: (LA@) updates on long beach prisoners

jeff hendricks, who was arrested for contempt of court and illegal communication with an inmate, was going to be bailed out of jail today by loved ones, as soon as the bond was purchased and taken to the jail, the clerk told those present that jeff's situation has changed and that he had a bench warrant for the county of los angeles and his bail has changed to 50,000 dollars and will be transported to an l.a. county facility.

the situation down here in long beach is incredibly intense and we need support from everyone...

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Subject: (LA@) long beach needs your help!!

since the arrests of rampage, max, hesan, and jeff other long beach anarchists and activists are being harrased 24/7 by the long beach p.d. they have been camped out in front of the infoshop in unmarked cars and harrassing people. they have been following us around the city and it only seems to get worse day by day.

if you would like to help us here in long beach, please contact anyone you know that lives down here and would be affected by this. even if you cannot help and you have friends in long beach, call them and tell them hello - i'm positive it will make a difference in their day.

long beach infoshop 562-434-6934

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Subject: Re: (LA@) updates on long beach prisoners

! jeff hendricks is out on bail. he was released this morning at 4 am!!!

his court dates may 2 at north court in fullerton, dept 3 for the contempt of court and communication with prisoner.

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situation in long beach; repression continues to intensify
by daffy 3:04am Sat Apr 27 '02    

EMERGENCY!

The situation in Long Beach is becoming incredibly intense. The repression is coming down harder than ever.

Jeff Hendricks, who was arrested for contempt of court and illegal communication with an inmate at the arraignment of Matt "Rampage" Lamont, was going to be bailed out of jail today by loved ones. However, as soon as the bond was purchased and taken to the jail for his release, the state gave him a bogus bench warrant from LBPD and changed his bail from 7,500 to 50,000 dollars. Jeff was then transported to an L.A county facility. Jeff made a phone called earlier that day from jail and told us that he was put in HIGH SECURITY after being arrested at court (on minor misdemeanor charges), and had his picture taken by the FBI, and was continuously being questioned by authorities.

Police harassment continues to intensify around the anarchist movement here in Long Beach. Today a friend said she was followed from her apartment to school by the police. They had waited outside her apartment until she left. Max and Matt "rampage" Lamont continue to remain in jail. Matt is being charged with 5 felony counts, including a HATE CRIME for allegedly attending a demonstration AGAINST nazis (this is based on the police report even though there was no nazi demonstration that day). Matt and Max were both followed by Long Beach detectives before they were pulled over by La Habra police, and their car was searched without any probable cause.

The situation on Hasan Hasan is also very serious. It is said that he is now going to be deported. Hasan was a math instructor at Cerritos college and a member of the Long Beach Peace Network. Hasan Hasan has been illegally detained by the INS and is now being held at the Long Beach Police Department. Without being given any reason Hasan Hasan was both fired from his job and arrested for being here on a work visa and not having a job within a matter of minutes.

This is real, the repression is serious and the consequences of this affect us all. Please contact the Long Beach Infoshop to see how you can help, and/or to make donations to the legal support fund for Max and Matt. The phone number is 562-434-6934 and the address is 684 Redondo Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90815. Please forward this message to any lists you are on or anyone you feel should hear this, especially lawyers, experienced individuals, and political prisoner support groups.