--- >Subject: ACLU Denounces FBI Tactics Targeting Political Protesters >Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 10:53:54 -0400 >From: "Emily Whitfield" <EWHITFIELD@private> >To: <declan@private> > >Declan, > >Following is an ACLU news release criticizing the FBI's interrogations and >intimidation of protesters as reported in today's New York Times. The ACLU >has obtained a copy of the OLC memo on the FBI's interrogration activities >referenced in the story and we will be posting it on our web site shortly. >Meanwhile, we have issued a news release about the FBI interrogations, >online at http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=16248&c=282 > >Emily Whitfield >ACLU > > >ACLU Denounces FBI Tactics Targeting Political Protesters > >Calls on Individuals to Report FBI Interrogations > >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Emily Whitfield, >ACLU >August 16, 2004 (212) 549-2566 > > >NEW YORK-The American Civil Liberties Union today denounced the FBI's use >of the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) to monitor, interrogate and >suppress anti-war and other political protesters and called on individuals >who have been targeted for investigation to come forward. > >The ACLU issued the public statement after an article in today's New York >Times detailed actions taken by FBI agents in Missouri, Kansas and >Colorado to spy on and interrogate activists in advance of the Democratic >and Republican national conventions. > >"The FBI's intimidation and interrogation of peaceful protesters brings >back eerie echoes of the days of J. Edgar Hoover," said Anthony D. Romero, >ACLU Executive Director. "Resources and funds established to fight >terrorism should not be misused to target innocent Americans who have done >nothing more than engage in lawful protest and dissent." > >According to reports from ACLU offices, law enforcement officials >throughout the U.S. have been monitoring the daily activities of various >activists they believe are planning to protest major national political >events, including the upcoming Republican National Convention in New York, >which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of protesters. In the days >leading up to the Democratic National Convention, officials identifying >themselves as JTTF agents made "visits" to the homes of several activists >as well as their friends and family members. > >In Missouri, three young men in their early 20's were subpoenaed to >testify before a federal grand jury on July 29, the same day they planned >on protesting the Democratic convention. The men, who planned to drive to >Boston with an activist group based in St. Louis, first realized they were >being targeted by the FBI when agents visited the homes of their parents a >week before the subpoenas. In addition to asking about easily accessible >information such as current addresses, the agents also asked the parents >for information on their sons' political activities. > >The very next day, agents visited the three men directly and asked them if >they had any knowledge of individuals planning "criminally disorderly >behavior" at the national conventions, the presidential debates, the >election or any other event. According to the men, the surveillance >increased after the visits, and conditions did not improve until after >they contacted the ACLU. > >"These young men are quite terrified by the experience of being targeted >by the Joint Terrorism Task Force because of their protest activities," >said Denise Lieberman, Legal Director of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri. >"The FBI interrogations have had a chilling effect on free speech." > >JTTF officials conducted similar investigations on individuals in Denver >and Fort Collins, Colorado, including 21-year-old Sarah Bardwell. >Bardwell, an intern with the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker >group dedicated to nonviolence, was approached at her home by four FBI >agents and two Denver police officers asking questions consistent with >those in Missouri: Are you planning to be involved in any criminal acts at >the national conventions? Do you know anybody who is? Are you aware that >if you assist or know anybody planning any criminal acts and do not report >them, it's a crime? > >According to Bardwell, the officials at first jokingly told her and her >housemates that they were there to do "community outreach," but then >clarified they were "doing some preventive measures and investigating." >Bardwell and her housemates believe they were targeted because of their >past participation in protests, including anti-war demonstrations. > >Last year, the Denver Police Department agreed to stop its practice of >monitoring and recording the peaceful protest activities of local >residents in a settlement reached in the ACLU's landmark "Spy Files" >lawsuit. Despite the settlement, Denver's intelligence unit contributes >two fulltime officers to the JTTF. > >"These JTTF visits are an abuse of power, designed to intimidate these >kids from exercising their constitutional right to protest government >policies and associate with others who want to protest government >policies," said Mark Silverstein, Legal Director of the ACLU of Colorado. > >The ACLU denounced JTTF tactics last November after the publication of a >classified FBI intelligence memorandum, which gave police detailed >instructions on how to target and monitor lawful political demonstrations >under the rubric of fighting terrorism. > >As reported in today's Times, a previously undisclosed legal opinion >condoned the controversial tactics outlined in the memorandum. The opinion >was issued in response to an internal complaint by an employee who charged >that the tactics blurred the line between lawfully protected speech and >illegal activity. > >"It is troubling that the FBI continues to advocate spying on peaceful >protesters," said the ACLU's Romero. "But even protesters who engage in >civil disobedience or other disruptive acts should not be treated like >potential terrorists." > >The ACLU said that there has been a noticeable increase in domestic spying >on political protestors in recent years. One of the most famous cases is >the infiltration of the anti-war group Peace Fresno by a member of the >Fresno County Sheriff Department's Anti-Terrorism unit in 2003. Peace >Fresno discovered one of its members had actually been a government agent >through an obituary published after his death in a motorcycle accident. >The incident is portrayed in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 as an example >of civil liberties violations in the post-September 11th climate. > >The ACLU said it is continuing to monitor incidents of FBI intimidation >and interrogation. > >To read a copy of the FBI memorandum on targeting protestors, see >http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=14452&c=207 > >To read more about the ACLU's work to protect protest rights, see >http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeechlist.cfm?c=86 > >To read more about the ACLU of Colorado's "Spy Files" case, go to >http://www.aclu-co.org/spyfiles/chronology.htm > _______________________________________________ Politech mailing list Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)
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