On Wendsday October 13th, 15 supporters of independent media gathered at 1200 Smith street, where the Swiss consulate is located, to protest the role the Swiss Government played in the confiscation of the Ahimsa server in London.They gathered at 9am to coincide with a protest happening simultaneously in Amsterdam.The confiscated server hosted local Indymedia sites in 20 locations in 17 countries. Activists held signs and taped their mouths shut, dramatizing the silencing of independent media by government repression. After distributing flyers and mumbling the first amendment through mouths taped shut, the activists entered 1200 Smith street, and tried to proceed to the Swiss consulate to make their grievances heard. They were stopped by the building's private security, and prohibited from passing through the lobby for 30 minutes, during which more private security as well as Houston Police Officers, and agents from the Criminal Intelligence Division were called in to try and control the protesters. While in the lobby many protesters read the 1st amendment aloud, until eventually one of the private security guards was able to confirm the the Swiss consulate indeed desired to meet with two representatives of the group.

Check out mnore photos and stories on the Houston Indymedia Center's site