ACLU: FBI instructs police to suppress peaceful protests

This is breaking news, however linking to it will be a little difficult. I received this as an ACLU action alert in my email box. Here is a snippet of that alert:

The ACLU has 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.

"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," said Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director.

According to a front-page story in the New York Times, the memorandum was circulated 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.

...

Of particular concern is one section warning law enforcement about protesters' use of videotaping as an "intimidation" technique. Most mainstream demonstrators often use videotape during protests to document law enforcement activity and, more importantly, deter police from acting outside the law.

I'm looking for an online link to a full write-up, however for now, you can download the entire FBI memo from this link:

Intelligence Bulletin No. 89
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=14452&c=207&MX=1055&H=1

They've got bin Laden on the brain. The only training I ever got in camp was how to paddle a canoe.

I posted this in the Activism/Events forum. Seems to have "name" support - former Attorney General Ramsey Clark, Howard Zinn, among others. See what you think:

http://www.InternationalANSWER.org

was just a dry run?

If the FBI are going to start sticking their oar in then that changes things.

It's a situation that is almost garenteed to escalate downhill, which will mean that they will soon be recruiting the most irresponsible people on the planet to do things like what was done by Nixon's CREEP and Cointelpro.

After a while people are going to get fed up with having the piss taken out of them and they will form an organistion to counter the behaviour of the FBI and other bodies.

So you might as well do it at the beginning and save yourself some agro.

... is only to inflame the demonstrators to riot or to take other adverse action?

He did a piece on the First Amendment Zones and how Bush protestors are placed a mile away from his sight and hearing. He also spoke about the ACLU suit against such zones. He interviewed a man (whose name I have forgotten, who has filed suit) regarding the zones. They contacted Secret Service, who, of course, denied that Americans rights are being removed and that their actions are, of course, strictly because of safety for * and never for political reasons. (Yeah, right!)

I do not believe either of these notions are the case. The Bush protectors are as elusive as they can be with the lying eyes of GW's sorry carcass, BUT, he has been confronted with the sight and sound of infuriated citizens, as I have been there and done that more than once. What is likely in play here is the blanket discouragement of dissent, by inferring its alleged ineffectuality. When the local media "covered" the story, they stated he got in and out without an eye or earful. Not true at all, but when was that ever a problem for them? It appears that many or most of the actual efforts of the corporate media/fixed electoral process is intended to dishearten and discourage, distancing citizens from their constitutional expectations. That is, of course, the obvious function of a perception management/domestic diplomacy operation as boldly undisguised as the corporate media is these days. Realize it, and make it widely known. They can be undone. Even Republicans, by and large, will not stand for lies when they recognize them. Once the lying scribes are revealed, the rest will be easy.
-forgot to add- None of the demonstrations I have attended, from 3 people to 250,000 have had a lick of violence or discord. The only violence is the unwarranted actions of overpaid thugs in law enforcement/anti-terrorism outfits who have no other way to justify their fat checks, big sticks, guns, assault vehicles and overtime.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=240367

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=237364

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=235362

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=236231

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=236597

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=237625

It's old news. Please post this action item in a different forum. Thanks.

-Moderator