Demonstration at Phoenix INS this Friday

Please forward widely to interested anarchists and anti-authoritarians.

On Friday, December 27th, at 3:30 p.m., there will be protest outside of the INS building in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, to show support for the Arabs and other Muslims who have suffered since September 11th, at the hand of the INS and elsewhere, and to protest the policies of the INS towards them, especially following the recent detentions in Southern California. We need all people concerned with the unjust and inhuman treatment of people to come out and tell the INS that their racist, nationalist, and anti-Arab policies must come to a halt!

In the past week we have seen the detention of approximately 600 men and boys who were attempting to follow the directive of the INS and register for a database to track the movements of all immigrants and foreigners in this country. The penalty for nearly a quarter of the people appearing at he INS offices in Southern California was incarceration. These men faced freezing, cramped, standing room only cells, with few necessities. In many cases they were not allowed to contact their loved ones or lawyers. One man begged a nurse for access to medication for a potentially fatal disorder and was refused any access to a doctor or treatment. Although most of the men were released after a week, some of the men targeted are now facing deportation. The INS has blamed the victims of this tragedy, claiming that because the agents didn't have enough time to process all of the men in time for their own deadline, and that this warranted their detention. Many of the men arrested did not know they were supposed to report to the agency until very near to the deadline, and some arrived on the last day only because they hadn't known to arrive earlier.

This process is not yet over. There is a Jan. 10 deadline for more than 7,000 males from 13 countries
to register, and another deadline for Saudi Arabians and Pakistanis on February 21st. We must not sit and let the treatment of these people be the same as that encountered by the Iranians and others.

Last week's detention of Arab and Muslim men and boys is inexcusable. We must respect the rights of all people to move and travel freely, to flee oppressive situations and to the freedom to move and start anew. No one should be shamed or punished for simply existing somewhere, without ever harming another. We must also resist scape-goating and racist action against any community. No person should be punished for their ethnicity, country of origin, race, gender, or religion!

We can see these recent events are a part of the government's anti-immigrant hostility, which was
intensified by the events of September 11. The arrests, extended incarceration, and brutality faced
by immigrants in 2001, the passage of the PATRIOT Act, and these recent detentions are only a few facets of the xenophobia and racism faced by newcomers to this country. We can find similarities to the intense INS and vigilante control of the border, targeting Mexicans and others from the Americas, which has caused so many deaths and too much pain. We all recognize that the way to stop "terror" will be to stop the government from terrorizing right now. We must all stand together to oppose the INS and the US government's racist strategies.

We call to anarchists and anti-authoritarians everywhere to reject these racist, nationalist persecutions. This is a time to stand up against the INS and make sure they are aware that we aren't going to take their crap anymore.

Support free passage for people everywhere! For a world without the INS, for a world without borders!

FREE THE DETAINEES, FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!

Meet on the 27th of December at 3:30 pm at the Phoenix INS Building (2035 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004), which is north of McDowell. All who oppose these hateful detentions and all who support human rights should feel welcome to attend.

For more information, please contact Anarchists
Against War and Terror at againstallwar@...