Solidarity With Grand Jury Resistance in Virginia

For more info:

Activists urge Unite the Right counter-protesters to resist grand jury summons

Solidarity Cville: @SolidCville on Twitter

Virginia is for Grand Jury Resisters! What You Need to Know

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All of us organizing to resist the current grand jury in North Carolina extend our strongest solidarity and our deepest love and admiration to the communities resisting grand jury subpoenas in Virginia. We have especially profound respect for those who have both survived horrific white supremacist violence and defied the state’s intimidation by maintaining their commitment not to cooperate with repression. Whatever circumstances grand juries take place in, we know that justice and healing in our communities can never come from the same state that has dedicated itself to disrupting and destroying our movements.
Resistance to grand juries anywhere strengthens all of our resistance. Both the powerful examples in cases over the past several years and the long history of grand jury resistance have given us examples to learn from and invaluable resources for communities to prepare and educate themselves so that we are all able to resist this secretive and abusive tactic of the state. We are confident that people in Virginia will receive the uncompromising support of many, including ourselves, for their continued resistance to these subpoenas. We have found that support for grand jury resistance in North Carolina this year has been even broader and stronger than we could have ever expected, and cut across so many different movements, political opinions, and communities. We believe that people in Virginia will have a similar experience, because as understanding and knowledge about grand juries grows, so will support for those who resist them.

Some Updates from NC Resists

FBI Visit in Western NC

We’ve gotten news about a recent FBI visit in Western NC. You can read info about it here. We send our love and support to these folks, and everyone who stays silent and goes public when the FBI attempts to question them. Check the post for more resources, and if you are in NC and contacted by the FBI, tell your community and contact NoRepressionNC [at] protonmail.com for help and resources.

Updates on Katie

Nothing has changed with Katie’s case since our last update, and she is waiting to find out when/if she will be noticed to appear again by the US Attorney’s Office or the Court. We are continuing to support her through this waiting period, and are ready for whatever comes next. In this district, the federal grand jury meets the last Monday and Tuesday of each month. Since we may not know things with advanced notice, be prepared on these days if you are able to show up for solidarity demos and hearings at the Greensboro Federal Court House to support Katie and grand jury resistance. We’ll post any updates here, and you can also donate to Katie’s support.

Stay Updated

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Twitter & Instagram: @NCResists

Recent Media Coverage

Check out the list of articles on this page, and don’t miss this recent article in The Nation.

Upcoming Events

Political Prisoner Letter Writing Night, at The Pinhook, Durham, NC, Wednesday, 9/20, 6 – 10 PM

The Pinhook and NC Resists are hosting a political prisoner letter writing night. We’ll have supplies and stamps. We’ll write letters for September birthdays, and folks inside needing support right now. We’ll also have a place to drop sweet notes to Katie.

Update on Contempt Hearing, 8/25

After Katie refused to testify on July 31st, the Assistant US Attorney informed her and her lawyer that the government would be requesting contempt and that she was not released from the subpoena. Since that time, she has been waiting on notice from the court about the status of her subpoena and whether a contempt hearing will be held. This afternoon, the AUSA informed Katie’s attorney that there are no new updates. She has not received any notice from the court. We believe this means that Katie will not be required to appear before the grand jury again when it convenes next week. However, she has not been released from the subpoena and a contempt hearing could be scheduled in the future. We will continue to provide updates as they happen.

In the meantime, our whole community and Katie will continue to resist this grand jury. Whatever the next steps are and whenever they come, Katie will always refuse to testify.

Our community supports Katie, and we all stand in solidarity with each other. Communities across NC are holding firm and having each other’s backs while we deal with not only this grand jury, but all the other state repression people are facing in our area. Keep loving each other well and helping each other build strong networks of support andpowerful walls of silence.

Press Release from NC Resists, 7/31

This morning around 9:00am at the federal courthouse in Greensboro, NC, grand jury resister Katie Yow spoke to a crowd of supporters and media before going inside to appear for her federal subpoena.

In an inspiring speech before entering the courthouse, Yow stated, “Whatever happens today or in the future, I will continue to resist this grand jury subpoena… as we face state repression and all of the things that we struggle against, it is so critical that we mean what we say to each other. And resisting this grand jury is one way I can show you I mean what I say, and that we as anarchists mean what we say.”

While Yow and her lawyer remained inside court, between 75-100 supporters amassed in front of the courthouse steps. The day’s activities ranged from playing drums, holding banners that read “NC Resists the Grand Jury” and “We Stand with Katie,“ to people passing out water, food, and sunscreen. A steady stream of local and regional media covered the event, with curiosity from newcomers and care by friends continuing until the end of the court day.

Katie Yow appeared before the grand jury in the afternoon. After refusing to testify, she and her attorney were informed by the Assistant US Attorney that the government will ask the court to hold her in civil contempt. Yow left the courthouse with her lawyer around 4:00pm, and further updates will be shared as they develop.

7/31 Statement, Greensboro Federal Courthouse

Katie read the following statement on the morning of 7/31, on the steps of the Federal Courthouse in Greensboro:

“My name is Katie Yow. In a moment I will be going inside this courthouse, and I will be resisting a grand jury subpoena. Whatever happens today or in the future, I will continue to resist this grand jury subpoena. Things are really tough right now, and we are much, much tougher. And as we face state repression and all of the things that we struggle against, it is so critical that we mean what we say to each other. And resisting this grand jury is one way I can show you I mean what I say, and that we as anarchists mean what we say. My community means everything to me. Anarchism means everything to me. I am strong enough to do this because of you.”

Update from 7/19

From Katie:

We have now learned more from the Assistant US Attorney about the subject of the federal grand jury to which I have been subpoenaed. This grand jury is looking into what the government has described as a bombing at the GOP headquarters in Hillsborough, NC this past fall. The AUSA has also indicated that they are interested in “other people” and “other events.” I don’t know anything relevant to a criminal investigation of the alleged incident at the GOP headquarters. The broad nature of the government’s interest in other information makes clear the way that this and other grand juries are used as fishing expeditions to attempt to coerce testimony on 1st amendment protected information. This is one of the many ways grand juries are used to repress social movements, and one of many reasons why we resist them.

Whatever new information we may learn about this grand jury, I will continue to refuse to cooperate. We didn’t have to know what this grand jury was about to know what we are about. Our values are long held, they are nurtured through both triumph and incredible loss, and they cannot be compromised. My resistance to this grand jury is the easiest decision I have ever made, even if the consequences may be difficult. I will continue to refuse to comply with this subpoena, and I have every faith in my community’s ability to support me in doing so.