The following is an article by Sheila K. Her friend, Matt 'Rampage' Lamont has been jailed, ostensibly on a set up. The Long Beach infoshop where he was an activist has been experiencing repression by the cops including efforts to shut down the infoshop that included activities such as copwatch, food not bombs, as well as being a center for activist literature and thought. Sheila is asking for your help:


The following is a copy of her article which you can find here:

www.indymedia.org/front.php3

Long Beach Anarchist Jailed! (english)
Sheila K 10:31pm Sun Apr 21 '02
address: 684 Redondo Ave, Long Beach, CA 90814 phone: 562-434-6934 stungunthesecond-AT-yahoo.com

An explaination of a clear case of repression by the state and its agencies! Read how 2 actvists were very recently arrested and jailed and how we can help them get free!

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, CA. He was arrested with another fellow activist and supporter of California's South Bay Food Not Bombs, Max Lucas, a juvenile, also in jail in Orange County's juvenile detention center. They were pulled over in La Habra, CA 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, a local organizing center and gathering place, is being targeted as well, as it has been the sight of police spying and harrassment, due only to their distrust 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 harrassment and survailence 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 responde via email as well, with questions, suggestions, or contact information.

Thank you!