[Ppnews] Mafia Law Used Against Environmentalists for Tree Sits, Civil Disobedience, Blog Post

[Political Prisoner News]

<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenIsTheNewRed/~3/p5tBU5vI8W0/>Mafia 
Law Used Against Environmentalists for Tree Sits, 
Civil Disobedience, Blog Post

Posted: 29 Apr 2009 05:00 AM PDT
From: "GreenIsTheNewRed.com" <will at willpotter.com>


Two environmental activists in Bloomington, Ind., 
have been charged with racketeering–charges 
originally intended to target the mob–for 
allegedly “conspiring” to engage in tree sits, 
participate in non-violent civil disobedience, 
and make an inflammatory blog post.

<http://mostlyeverything.net>Hugh Farrell and 
Gina “Tiga” Wertz are organizers in the campaign 
to <http://stopi69.wordpress.com/about/>halt 
expansion of the I-69 NAFTA superhighway. They 
were arrested on Friday, April 24th, and they’re 
each facing five charges that carry a maximum of eight years in prison.

Four of the charges are misdemeanors for 
“intimidation” and “conversion” (treating someone 
else’s property as your own). All four 
misdemeanors are related to a civil disobedience 
stunt where some activists removed the furniture 
from an I-69 project office, occupied the space, 
and posted an eviction notice. The government 
says the civil disobedience stunt was intended to 
place Ronnie Wilson in fear, and subject him to “contempt or ridicule.”

The felony charge is for corrupt business 
influence, or racketeering. The government isn’t 
arguing that these activists were actually 
engaged in racketeering, but that they are part 
of Roadblock EarthFirst (described as a criminal 
enterprise) and “conspired” to do so. According 
to their arrest warrants, 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/wp-content/Images/farrell_arrest 
warrant.pdf>Farrell and 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/wp-content/Images/wertz_arrest 
warrant.pdf>Wertz:
    * “Conspired” to remove office furniture from 
I-69 project offices as part of eviction notice stunts.
    * “Conspired” to post an “internet blog on 
two publicly accessed website stating ‘you will 
suffer the consequences’ and ‘perhaps we’ll go to 
your homes, children’s daycare, churches or 
wherever else you happen to turn your back.” The 
blog posts were made after the violent removal of activists from a tree sit.
    * “Conspired” to commit “theft” when six 
individuals blocked the entrance to Gohmann 
Asphalt and Construction Company using 
non-violent civil disobedience and caused a loss of profits.
    * “Conspired” to commit “theft” by “taking 
unauthorized control of trees” and “depriving 
lawful owners of use and/or value of the said 
trees.” (Note: the last two bullets are only in Wertz’s arrest warrant.)

Racketeering laws are intended to combat 
organized crime, such as the mafia, and include 
crimes like extortion, bribery and money 
laundering. Although ambitious prosecutors have 
tried to use the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt 
Organizations Act (RICO) to target anti-abortion 
activists, animal rights activists, and the Hells 
Angels, the purpose of the law has always been to 
go after illegal business activity.

But these activists, and others like them, are 
not protesting this superhighway to make money. 
They’re not doing it for personal gain. Halting 
this environmental destruction will not financially benefit them in any way.

Then why use mob laws against them? Because of their beliefs.

Tree sits, office takeovers and road blockades 
are against the law, and the government has the 
tools and resources to prosecute those crimes.

But because of the politics of the alleged 
crimes, prosecutors are reaching for more. Civil 
disobedience has become “theft.” Tree sits have 
become “unauthorized control of trees.” These 
trumped-up charges are a way to take what are, at 
the very worst, misdemeanor crimes and turn them 
into federal crimes. It’s an attack on 
individuals perceived as being leaders in the 
movement for the sole purpose of stamping out dissent.

A support website for Hugh Farrell and Gina 
“Tiga” Wertz has been set up at 
<http://mostlyeverything.net>http://mostlyeverything.net.



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