For Immediate Release: 22 August, 2023
Media Contact: Noble Frank, noble@mnfreedomfund.org, (952) 353-6930
MINNEAPOLIS — On Wednesday, May 31, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and Atlanta Police Department (APD) raided the homes of and arrested three organizers with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. These arrests are an unequivocal attack on community bail funds and a clear attempt by the state to suppress and punish political dissent.
Let us be very clear: Community bail funds are not criminal enterprises. They are a widely recognized form of mutual aid, a historical means of protecting political dissent, and a legally sound resource that helps people without wealth access the same legal protections and constitutional rights that the wealthy enjoy without question.
Minnesota Freedom Fund is no stranger to attacks and opposition — including attempts to criminalize our work and shut our doors. We are in strong solidarity with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund and the three unjustly jailed organizers. We call on the Fulton County prosecutor and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to drop all charges and release these political prisoners. We urge all those who have supported our organization in the past to support our colleagues in Atlanta today by donating to Atlanta Solidarity Fund.
This shameful act of political overreach will not deter community bail funds. May it instead ignite a national movement against authoritarian repression and for mutual care and support across our many diverse communities.
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