CIA, FBI, DHS and ODNI Sued for Records on Russian Interference in 2016 Election
WASHINGTON, DC — The CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Investigative journalist Jason Leopold and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) PhD candidate/Harvard Klein Center for Internet & Society research affiliate, Ryan Shapiro, filed a lawsuit yesterday against […]
FBI Sued for Records on Agency’s Role in Trump Victory
WASHINGTON, DC — The FBI is in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. Investigative journalist Jason Leopold and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) PhD candidate/Harvard Klein Center for Internet & Society research affiliate, Ryan Shapiro, filed a lawsuit this morning against the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The suit is over the FBI’s failure to comply with Shapiro and […]
100,000+ Supporters Urge President Obama to Commute Chelsea Manning’s Sentence
On Saturday, the 10th, the petition on the WeThePeople platform in support of Chelsea Manning accumulated over 100,000 signatures, four days before the December 14th deadline. The goal was reached in time to garner a response from the White House to their call for President Obama to act now to commute Chelsea’s sentence. Manning is in […]
ACLU and LGBT Groups Call on President Obama to Grant Clemency To Chelsea Manning
WASHINGTON, DC — The American Civil Liberties Union and over a dozen LGBT groups sent a letter to President Barack Obama today urging the commutation of Chelsea Manning’s sentence for disclosing classified information to the media to raise public awareness regarding the impact of war on innocent civilians. Manning is in the seventh year of […]
45 Organizations Form Growing Coalition Against Hate, Urge Trump to Eject Extremists from Inner Circle
Last week the Coalition Against Hate released the discriminatory records of individuals who have been raised as potential appointees or senior staff in a Trump administration with deep ties to racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The Coalition urges Donald Trump to eject known extremists from his inner circle, such Senator Jeff Sessions, Representative Mike Pompeo, retired […]
Ahead of Bannon Visit 300+ MIT Faculty Sign Statement Upholding Values of Science and Diversity
CAMBRIDGE, MA — On the eve of Steve Bannon’s visit to nearby Harvard University over 300 MIT faculty and counting have taken a public stand
Chelsea Manning’s Lawyers Request Commutation of Sentence, Supporters Launch White House Petition
Washington, DC — Today, Chelsea Manning’s legal defense team released a letter sent to the U.S. Army and the Office of the Pardon Attorney, requesting the commutation of Ms. Manning’s 35 year court-martial sentence to time served and “a first chance to live a real, meaningful life.” The letter discusses the harsh and inhumane conditions […]
Community Control Over Police Surveillance Effort Launches with First Wave of Legislation in 11 Cities
NEW YORK — Local officials in 11 cities announced today that they are launching legislative efforts to bring transparency to the acquisition and use of local police surveillance technologies for the first time. The measures include mandating explicit city council approval and a public hearing process that maximizes community input into surveillance technology decisions. This […]
Joseph Buddenberg Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison in Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Case
San Diego, CA — This morning in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Joseph Buddenberg was sentenced to two years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The sentencing follows his signing a non-cooperating plea agreement in which he plead guilty to conspiring to free thousands of […]
State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez Loses Re-Election After Tireless Campaigning from Chicago’s Black Youth
Chicago, IL — The following is a statement from Assata’s Daughters on their victory in #ByeAnita campaign: “Chicago Black youth have kicked Anita Alvarez out of office. Just a month ago, Anita Alvarez was winning in the polls. Communities who refuse to be killed, jailed, and abused without any chance at justice refused to allow her to […]
Black Chicago Activists Fly ‘Chicago Stands with Laquan, Hillary Stands with Rahm’ Banners Across City Skyline
Chicago, IL — This afternoon, as primary voting is underway in Illinois, airplanes are flying across the Chicago skyline towing banners linking Hillary Clinton with unpopular Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, with whom Emanuel covered up the 2014 Chicago PD’s killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald while campaigning for his own re-election. The arial […]
Imprisoned ‘Guantanamo Diary’ Author Granted Periodic Review Board Hearing
New York, NY — The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that a Periodic Review Board hearing has been scheduled for June 2 to review the detention of Guantánamo prisoner Mohamedou Ould Slahi. Slahi’s deeply personal memoir, “Guantánamo Diary,” climbed to the top of The New York Times bestseller list last year and has been translated […]
Judge Rules FBI May Not Unilaterally Invent New FOIA Exemptions
Washington, DC — As reported in an exclusive report by Sam Thielman for The Guardian, a team of expert FOIA requestors and their attorneys has scored a major Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) victory against the FBI.
No New Animal Lab Fights Back Against Skanska Injunction with Anti-SLAPP Motion to Strike
Hillsboro, OR — On January 29th, No New Animal Lab, with representation from the Civil Liberties Defense Center, filed an anti-SLAPP Special Motion to Strike against injunctions filed on behalf of two executives of Skanska USA. Skanska and its key decision makers have been the subject of a year-long protest campaign, organized under the banner of No […]
On Eve of GOP Debate Carolinians Gather for Vigil at Mosque to Counter Xenophobic Rhetoric
Charleston, SC — Local Carolinians will hold a candlelight prayer vigil at the Central Mosque of Charleston {1082 King St, Charleston, SC} to pray for the GOP Presidential hopefuls on the eve of the debate. The group, comprised of members of South Carolina’s queer, muslim, christian, women’s rights, and latino communities, will gather at 5:45pm to […]
Will Potter Describes Being the First Journalist to Visit Federal Communication Management Unit
In a new TED Talk released today, investigative journalist and TED Senior Fellow Will Potter describes his experience as the first and only journalist to visit secretive prisons on U.S. soil that are referred to by prisoners and guards as “Little Guantanamo.” Communications Management Units, or CMUs, are experimental prison units in the United States for so-called […]
Hundreds of Activists to Protest Construction of Underground Animal Research Facility at The University of Washington
Seattle, WA — This Saturday, April 25, 2015, at 2pm PT, hundreds of activists are expected to take the streets to protest The University of Washington (UW) and Skanska Construction, who are attempting to construct an underground animal research facility designed to expand the University’s cadre of primate and canine subjects exponentially. Creative actions and protests, coordinated […]
Journalist Barrett Brown Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison, Releases Post-Sentence Statement
DALLAS, TX — Imprisoned journalist and activist Barrett Brown was sentenced in a Dallas Federal Court this morning to 63 months of incarceration within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Brown, a contributor to Vanity Fair and The Guardian, has already been detained for 28 months on charges stemming from his proximity to sources in the underground hacker […]
Allocution Statement of Jailed Journalist Barrett Brown, As Prepared and Read into Federal Court Record Today
DALLAS, TX — A sentencing hearing is underway in a Dallas Federal Court this morning to determine if journalist Barrett Brown will be released on a sentence of time served or if he will remain in prison for several more years. Brown’s attorneys are asking that the journalist, who has already served over two years in Federal […]
‘To Change Everything’ Outreach Project Introduces Anarchist Ideas to General Public with Free Primer in 20 Languages
WASHINGTON, DC — This week underground publisher CrimethInc. launched To Change Everything, a multimedia outreach project intended to introduce anarchist ideas to the general public. The project consists of a free, full-color 48-page print publication, a video by Submedia.tv, an interactive website in a many different languages, and a sticker and poster campaign. Participating collectives in […]
Outgoing Senator Jay Rockefeller Wants to Kill the FOIA Reform Act
Washington, DC — Outgoing Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia is single-handedly attempting to kill a critical governmental transparency bill. The FOIA Improvement Act of 2014 (S. 2520) is the product of over six months of bipartisan work that would enact desperately needed reforms to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The bill enjoys overwhelming support […]
Communities Organize After Grand Jury Decision, Vow Nonviolent Protest in Ferguson & Beyond
FERGUSON, MO — At 8PM CT, Ferguson Action issued the following statement in response to the St. Louis County Grand Jury’s failure to levy charges against Darren Wilson for the August 9th killing of Michael Brown Jr. “We are devastated that the grand jury has failed to indict Darren Wilson in the killing of Mike Brown,” […]
While a St. Louis Grand Jury Returns Decision in Mike Brown Case, Ferguson Speaks About Systemic Change
FERGUSON, MO — A St. Louis County Grand Jury returned Thursday and with them a decision as to whether or not to levy charges against Darren Wilson for the August 9th shooting of Michael Brown Jr. Despite having the Grand Jury’s decision, St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, for logistical purposes, has opted to announce the […]
Sister of Slain Kent State Protestor Responds to Urban Outfitters’ Blood Spattered Sweatshirt Stunt
MENDOCINO, CA — On Monday, September 15, 2014, in a crass marketing exercise, —shoddily enveloped in deniability— Urban Outfitters made available on their website, a sweatshirt, with a Kent State University insignia, appearing to be tattered and blood spattered. The launch of this item cut deep with many, triggering painful thoughts of contemporary school shootings, ugly […]