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:

http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=174831&group=webcast

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@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!

The below information was the first thing I ever saw posted about this circumstance. Why are there different stories? Can someone please respond?



"long beach anarchist pulled over

by drew Sun Apr 21 09:10:02 PST 2002

iheartbikinikill@hotmail.com

whats going on

"yesterday on 4.20(hitlers birthday) two anarchist were arrested on there way to counter demonstrate at a hitler birthday party in la habra.we got the call around 12:00 at night and they were pulled over and imediatly arrested without knowing what they were arrested for and i beleive still dont know what they were arrested for.police called and sayed they found a gasoline timing explosive in the car and instructions on how to make it or somthing like that.this is what i know for now but if anybody knows anything else if they could email me i would apreciate it or add any coments.some of us are thinking set up but no one knows to much right now."

I called this number for information behind Matt Lamont's case...714-647-4667

Matt #2057039

*Max P000026539

Matt's charges are as follows:

BC12303.2 - "Possession of Destructive Device"

BC12303.3 - "Use ...Explosive Device"

*Max is being held at Orange County Juvenille Hall

Distribute Widely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanx to the info-shop truck driver activists have been able to network with youth, student, and other groups to spread the word about the need for change in the Long Beach/Los Angeles harbor.  Have we done something illegal?  Are we spied on?

Most truck drivers carry gasoline cans in their cars.  If they are also labor activist would that mean that they were terrorist as well?  I consider this the first clash in what promised to be a long hot summer to change this harbor, to change this world.  Rampage has been well know in his circles for supporting the truck driver movement against the multinational corporate shipping lines and Sweatshops on Wheels in the harbors.  This growing support by the community for truck drivers winning their labor rights must have alarmed someone.

If anyone was so innocent to think that winning back the harbors would be easy please remember Bloody Thursday.  Remember Harry Bridges before Joe McCarthy's un-american committee.  Think about the PATRIOT ACT!  

There are 8,000 of us here in the Los Angeles/Long Beach harbors, 50,000 nationwide.  Bush and his PATRIOT police know who we are.  But the cowards pick on a 20 year old kid, the most dangerous of all, our future!  I strongly believe that this young kid was targeted because of his growing influence in the community and his ability to bring widespread attention to the shipping industry.  Please help make a stand NOW before we all start going to jail as terrorist.  This is the real thing.

"The Battle for Los(t) Angeles has just begun..."

Ernesto Jesus Nevarez

April 22, 2002



BTW:  The other "dangerous" political activist is a 17 year old child.

Regarding the current situation involving Matt and Max from LA, i think it is important to remember that gossip and rumors,speculation and uneducated assumptions can further endanger those we are trying to assist in this matter. Until a statement is released from those accused,(if one is to be released at all)we must operate using the facts that we are aware of and those facts only. This is not time to talk about where they were driving to, etc etc.What we do know is that these individuals were pulled over and arrested on the evening of April 20th in orange county. They are being charged with possesion of explosive devices and possibly some related charges. Lets stick to this, practice security and give support where it is needed !