To spy on our own people.
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today denounced a classified FBI intelligence memorandum, obtained by the New York Times, which gives police detailed instructions on how to TARGET AND MONITOR lawful political demonstrations under the rubric of fighting terrorism.
“Attorney General Ashcroft has dismissed critics of the Justice Department’s tactics as 'hysterical' and has even said that such criticism aids the terrorists,” said Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director. “But this bulletin confirms that the federal government is targeting innocent Americans engaged in nothing more than lawful protest and dissent. The American people deserve an explanation for what is clearly a return to the days of J. Edgar Hoover’s spying tactics.”
According to a front-page story in today’s New York Times, the memorandum was circulated last month to local law enforcement agencies around the country in advance of mass marches and rallies in Washington, DC and San Francisco against the U.S. occupation in Iraq.
The memorandum, the Times reports, details how protesters have sometimes used “training camps” to rehearse for demonstrations, the Internet to raise money and gas masks to defend against tear gas. It describes lawful activities like recruiting demonstrators, as well as illegal activities like using fake documentation to get into a secured site.
“It is troubling that the FBI is advocating spying on peaceful protesters, but even protesters who engage in civil disobedience or other disruptive acts should not be treated like potential terrorists,” Romero said.
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"While saying that the FBI possesses no information about any planned unlawful activity, the bulletin urges local law enforcement “to be alert to these possible indicators of protest activity and report any potentially illegal acts” to federal authorities"
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FROM
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/Safe...ID=14450&c=206
OK AS MUCH as I disagree with some of the things the ACLU has done, I happen to agree with them with this issue. For ANY federal agency to be spying on any legal activity is a waste of resources and (I think) an infringment of our freedoms.
I always thought that demonstrations were allowed in our society.
I am curious, HOW IS videotaping police officers an "intimidation technique" that will prevent the arrest of others??
Also I say that IF there is evidence then they should go into action. NOT before. Your supposed to be innocent UNTIL PROVEN guilty, not the other way around.
Linear Mode
