Pro-Choice Activists "Pursued" by the FBI In Relation to the Murder of Dr. Slepian
We are the activists who became the subject of the FBI's investigation into the murder of Dr. Barnett Slepian. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank the dozens of organizations and individuals who responded to this attack. This support was key in helping to denounce and expose what the FBI was doing. We are now in a better place to deal with any further attacks.
We are asking that people continue in their support of our demands that the FBI publically announce that they are not looking for us and that they communicate this to nationwide police agencies. Further we are demanding that the FBI publically admit that they have no reason to believe that we are associated with the known right-to-lifer James Charles Kopp. Finally we are demanding an apology. One form, this support could take is for organizations and individuals to issue public statements supporting these demands and denouncing the actions of the FBI.
Since the attack came down a number of people have asked "what more is happening" and what lessons should be drawn from all this? So let us put some things forward and encourage others to enter into some dialogue about this.
To recap for those who don't know the circumstances, we both went to Buffalo from Cleveland for the vigil on behalf of Dr. Slepian on Saturday Oct 24th. We mistakenly thought the vigil was at the doctor's house. We asked youth in the neighborhood and they directed us there. As we turned down a street a police cruiser was blocking the road. We approached the police, indicated we wanted to participate in the vigil and asked where it was being held. Robert was ID'd and we were told the directions to the clinic. Three weeks later the FBI appeared at the home of Debra Szemborski who had loaned us her car to make the trip. They claimed they just needed to make sure we had permission to use her car. When she confirmed this, the FBI began questioning her as to organizational connections and how people knew to come to the Buffalo vigil so quickly. When she refused to answer any further questions they returned repeatedly and harassed her neighbors and threatened her with jail as an accessory in the murder of Dr. Slepian. FBI agents showed up at our attorney's home on the day he told them he would be away on another case. Then on 11/20 Robert met with the FBI with his attorney and refused to answer their questions. As a veteran activist for decades Robert does not speak to the FBI as a matter of principle, but he wanted to demonstrate that he was available. The very next day the papers, TV and radio announced that both of us were being sought and a "be on the lookout" notice to police nationwide had been issued. The FBI was clearly implying that we were fugitives the day after their questions were refused. They went on to say that it is believed that we are associated with James Charles Kopp last seen in Mexico.
We believe that our experience contains lessons for our movement. We are known activists on the left, active in the struggle for women's rights, against police brutality, and more generally against the politics of poverty, punishment, and patriarchy. Both of us have been arrested as participants in demonstrations. The FBI clearly knew who we were before they began pursuing us. They were not confused. They knew that we considered Barnett Slepian a brave doctor and a hero. They knew we were not associated with the likes of James Charles Kopp. They also knew that we would not talk to them as a matter of principle. They were trying to punish us for not talking to them. Possibly they were trying to open up a witch hunt into the people's movement. Whatever their motives are, they published only our names "out of the hundreds of leads being followed up". This was not an investigation, it was an attack. It is an attack on us, and it is an attack on the pro-choice movement. This experience reinforces our understanding that we cannot rely on the FBI and police generally to protect abortion providers and clinics. We must continue to build a broad movement defending women's right to choose and the doctors who regularly risk their lives to continue to make abortion available.
The support we have received from the pro-choice movement and progressive organizations and activists broadly was very welcomed and helped us to push back the FBI attack. On 11/24 we, Cleveland Pro-Choice Action League, Worker's World Party, Anti-Racist Action(Kent), Revolutionary Communist Party, and the Anarchist Black Cross(Kent) and others spoke at a press conference at the Cleveland Federal Building called by Refuse & Resist. And since, many others have sent messages of support. All this helped us to stand strong as they sought to isolate us. It is an example of the type of broad unity we need.
Another lesson is - don't talk to the police or the FBI. It was a mistake to approach the police asking the whereabouts of the vigil. It was wrong to answer any questions when the FBI came around asking about the car. The FBI was clearly not looking for the murderer of Dr. Slepian. How else can you explain our names being the only ones released since the first week of the investigation!
For five years attacks have come down on abortion providers at this time of year and none of these crimes have been solved. It's no wonder, given the way they treated us. It tells us that people genuinely concerned with defending women's right to choose must redouble our efforts to defend the clinics and providers. We need to rely broadly on the people and not the police. The police and the FBI are part of the problem and not part of the solution.
Participate in The National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers -- March 10!
Abortion On Demand And Without Apology!
Keep the Clinics Open -- Stand Together for Abortion Access and Women's lives!
Contact us through Refuse & Resist,
Cleveland: 216-556-3512; e-mail: refuse_cleve216@hotmail.com
Nationally: 212-713-5657; e-mail: resist@walrus.com
[posted December 16, 1998]
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