FBI monitored Occupy protests (duh)

[No Elephants]

Published: Dec. 27, 2012 at 1:22 PM

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- FBI counter-terrorism agents monitored the Occupy movement throughout the United States, believing the movement to be a potential threat, documents show.

The FBI has released documents showing counter-terrorism agents were in close communication with law enforcement agencies nationwide about the Occupy Wall Street movement, CNN reported Thursday.

FBI counter-terrorism agents generally investigating and preventing both domestic and foreign terrorism threats.

The documents also show that the FBI warned New York Stock Exchange in August, 2011, about a "planned anarchist protest titled Occupy Wall Street" scheduled for Sept. 17, 2011.

The documents said the FBI was concerned that the Occupy venues could provide "an outlet for a lone offender exploiting the movement for reasons associated with general government dissatisfaction."

Counter-terrorism agents also monitored Occupy protests in Florida, Alaska, California, Colorado Mississippi, Virginia and other states, the documents show.

The documents were requested by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, a civil rights group in Washington, through the Freedom of Information Act.

"This production, which we believe is just the tip of the iceberg, is a window into the nationwide scope of the FBI's surveillance, monitoring, and reporting on peaceful protesters organizing with the Occupy movement," stated Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the organization. "These documents show that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are treating protests against the corporate and banking structure of America as potential criminal and terrorist activity."

After the release of the documents, FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said the FBI recognizes the rights of the people to peacefully protest, but that the agency must take precautions to deal with any potential threats of violence.

"While the FBI is obligated to thoroughly investigate any serious allegations involving threats of violence, we do not open investigations based solely on First Amendment activity," Bresson said in a statement. "In fact, the Department of Justice and the FBI's own internal guidelines on domestic operations strictly forbid that."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/12/27/FBI-monitored-Occupy-protests/UPI-20381356632526/#ixzz2GL3eYZsK


Of course, the police who kettled and harassed and maced and shoved and clubbed them were no threat to our society or way of life and in no way were inciting them to violence. Ditto the mayors who "caged" them.

Gee, if only the Occupy Movement had begun under a Democratic President, preferable someone who really knew the Constitution.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States....

Well, technically, no one made a law per se, so we're cool. :silly: Who needs laws, when one side is being peaceful and the other side is being both brutal and provocative, though?

[Enthusiast]

1. Occupy disrespected Wall Street.

Just sayin'.

[Leopolds Ghost]

2. Hrm.

Hereabouts, they turned the building surveillance cameras on Occupy.

It's OK, a peace activist friend of mine used to have her own personal FBI tail.