U.S. agents seize control of Free Radio Santa Cruz

Guns drawn, agents of the U.S. Marshal Service served a warrant on a tiny Santa Cruz pirate radio station early Wednesday, rousting and frisking the pajama-clad residents of the co-op house from which the station had been broadcasting. No one was arrested. ''This is not a criminal action against people,'' said Supervising Deputy Cheryl Koel. The target was Free Radio Santa Cruz, an FM micro-station boasting 35 to 40 watts of power and offering round-the-clock music, activism and other local programming, in addition to such national programming as Radio Pacifica's ''Democracy Now'' -- all in defiance of federal licensing laws. The blue-jacketed marshals along with agents of the Federal Communications Commission dismantled the station's equipment and carried it to a waiting pickup with a camper shell as the crowd of perhaps 60 people yelled ''Shame! Shame!'' and ''Go home!''

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  thanks to Yolanda Flanagan

These Marshals are nothing more than corporate goons. Their primary job is not to protect the people but to protect the corporations. Government of the Corporation, by the Corporation, for the Corporation.

update

Yolanda Flanagan sent me two more links. Come on, folks. We're supposedly worried about terrorists raping and pillaging throughout America and we are busting pirate radio stations that say things that Corporations don't like to hear.

San Francisco Liberation Radio Raided!

Approximately 10 federal agents, 10 San Francisco police, and 5 FCC agents raided San Francisco Liberation Radio (SFLR) studios yesterday. The raid began at 11 a.m., and lasted for approximately 2 hours. They arrived equipped with battering ram and firearms, although neither was necessary. The FCC confiscated all equipment in the station at the time, including a 16 channel Mackie sound board, microphones, a computer, CD, record, and tape players, and so much more.

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KFAR Shut Down by the FBI

Knoxville First Amendment Radio (KFAR 90.9 FM) has been highly critical of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) over the course of the station’s 3-year history, challenging TVA’s nuclear power program and its burning of coal mined in Mountain Top Removal operations. KFAR is the only voice on the Knoxville airwaves that has consistently spoken out on important issues like the war in Iraq and nuclear weapons production in Oak Ridge. KFAR broadcasts over 15 independent news programs each week which are not available through any other source in Knoxville, and it is the only local radio station owned and operated by regular citizens.

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We can't actually have a public radio that is done by the public. Heavens!