News & Views for Anarchists & Activists: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
Rocky Mountain News http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4298571,00.html FBI improperly spied on peaceful rallies, ACLU says By Karen Abbott, Rocky Mountain News December 8, 2005
The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado said it will release documents today that show FBI agents improperly spied on peaceful protesters in Colorado Springs in the name of combating terrorism.
"These documents are further confirmation of our contention that the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is wasting resources and threatening First Amendment rights by equating nonviolent protest with what it calls domestic terrorism," said Mark Silverstein, ACLU legal director in Colorado.
FBI spokeswoman Monique Kelso said the FBI only investigates or watches people when it has credible information that a crime may be committed, will be committed or has been committed.
The newly released documents, to be posted on the ACLU's Web site at http://www.aclu-co.org , were obtained by the organization through the federal Freedom of Information Act.
They discuss FBI activities involving two protests. One was in June 2002 at the Broadmoor hotel, where the North American Wholesale Lumber Association held a three-day convention. The other was in February 2003 at a Colorado Springs park and Peterson Air Force Base.
An FBI agent sent a memo to the agency's "counterterrorism" branch in early June 2002, asking that a case be opened to investigate possible protests during the lumber convention as well as other activities preceding it.
"Investigation has revealed that a 'training camp' will take place in the Pikes Peak National Forest from 6/7-9/2002," the agent wrote. "The purpose of the training is to 'learn nonviolent methods of forest defense,' offering workshops in climbing, blockades, organizing, security culture, street theater and banner making."
Said Silverstein: "Nonviolent training has nothing to do with terrorism."
The FBI agent's memo continued: "Internet traffic indicates scheduled protest activity beginning on Monday, June 10, 2002, at the City Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and continuing throughout the NAWLA meeting."
In another memo after the NAWLA meeting, an FBI agent wrote that 30 to 40 individuals participated in protests at the hotel at any one time and that three people were arrested for trespassing after they entered the Broadmoor bell tower to hang a banner from it.
That memo also said: "A copy of the State of Colorado Driver Record searches are attached."
That's not attached to the recent documents obtained by the ACLU, but the organization had obtained it earlier through separate procedures.
Silverstein said it's a three-page list of license plate numbers on cars parked near the protest, with identities of the cars' owners.
He said law enforcement officers writing down license plate numbers easily could include those of people not involved in the protest.
The license plates and names of protesters who weren't arrested or even suspected of any crime could be included in such a list, as could the names of people who weren't even involved in the protest but merely parked nearby, Silverstein said.
"Their names and vehicle registration information are now included in this Joint Terrorism Task Force file," he said.
He said a Colorado Springs police officer sent the list to the FBI after the protest, with a note indicating an FBI agent had asked for it.
Kelso said the FBI agent didn't ask for the entire list, but only for certain numbers and names involved in an ongoing investigation. She declined to elaborate.
The second protest mentioned in the documents was an anti-war demonstration in Palmer Park in Colorado Springs on Feb. 15, 2003.
Days before that, an FBI agent wrote a memo requesting "a preliminary inquiry" into protest plans of three organizations: the Revolutionary Anti-War Response, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice, and Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace.
"Web sites and hyperlinks associated with the 'Mile High Resistance' an Anti-Global Expansion, Environmentalist radical movement located in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, is advertising for an antiwar demonstration," the agent wrote.
"They are hyping the demonstration as the 'biggest peace rally in the history of Colorado' and are representing the size of the rally to be 2,000 demonstrators," the agent wrote. "The organizations are organizing car pools and hiring buses to transport the demonstrators to Colorado Springs."
"The two groups are advocating committing what they refer to (as) 'civil disobedience,' possibly by blocking the vehicular traffic at (two intersections," the agent wrote.
Kelso said blocking intersections is a type of crime, or potential crime, to which the FBI should devote attention because the agency is supposed to protect the rights of Americans. The blocking of intersections by protest groups can infringe on the rights of others, she said.
Thousands of demonstrators showed up at two protests, one at the park and one at nearby Peterson Air Force Base. Police used tear gas to chase away dozens of people who blocked nearby intersections. Thirty-four people were arrested for offenses such as trespassing and failure to disperse.
The protests were part of demonstrations staged nationwide that day to protest the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
"We want the American people to know that the only time we will open up an investigation is to protect our citizens from the credible information that we have gathered, either through intelligence or through an ongoing investigation, that a crime may be, will be or has been committed," she said.
Kelso expressed cordiality toward the ACLU.
"The ACLU is doing their due diligence, and they have a job to do," she said.
-- Dan Clore
Now available: _The Unspeakable and Others_ http://www.wildsidepress.com/index2.htm http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1587154838/thedanclorenecro Lord Weÿrdgliffe & Necronomicon Page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/ News & Views for Anarchists & Activists: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
"Don't just question authority, Don't forget to question me." -- Jello Biafra
Eli Gottlieb
2005-12-09 23:28:16 EST
Dan Clore wrote: > News & Views for Anarchists & Activists: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo > > Rocky Mountain News > http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4298571,00.html > > FBI improperly spied on peaceful rallies, ACLU says > By Karen Abbott, Rocky Mountain News > December 8, 2005 > > The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado said it will release > documents today that show FBI agents improperly spied on peaceful > protesters in Colorado Springs in the name of combating terrorism. > > "These documents are further confirmation of our contention that the > FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is wasting resources and threatening > First Amendment rights by equating nonviolent protest with what it calls > domestic terrorism," said Mark Silverstein, ACLU legal director in > Colorado. > > FBI spokeswoman Monique Kelso said the FBI only investigates or watches > people when it has credible information that a crime may be committed, > will be committed or has been committed. > > The newly released documents, to be posted on the ACLU's Web site at > http://www.aclu-co.org , were obtained by the organization through the > federal Freedom of Information Act. > > They discuss FBI activities involving two protests. One was in June 2002 > at the Broadmoor hotel, where the North American Wholesale Lumber > Association held a three-day convention. The other was in February 2003 > at a Colorado Springs park and Peterson Air Force Base. > > An FBI agent sent a memo to the agency's "counterterrorism" branch in > early June 2002, asking that a case be opened to investigate possible > protests during the lumber convention as well as other activities > preceding it. > > "Investigation has revealed that a 'training camp' will take place in > the Pikes Peak National Forest from 6/7-9/2002," the agent wrote. "The > purpose of the training is to 'learn nonviolent methods of forest > defense,' offering workshops in climbing, blockades, organizing, > security culture, street theater and banner making." > > Said Silverstein: "Nonviolent training has nothing to do with terrorism." > > The FBI agent's memo continued: "Internet traffic indicates scheduled > protest activity beginning on Monday, June 10, 2002, at the City Park, > Colorado Springs, Colorado, and continuing throughout the NAWLA meeting." > > In another memo after the NAWLA meeting, an FBI agent wrote that 30 to > 40 individuals participated in protests at the hotel at any one time and > that three people were arrested for trespassing after they entered the > Broadmoor bell tower to hang a banner from it. > > That memo also said: "A copy of the State of Colorado Driver Record > searches are attached." > > That's not attached to the recent documents obtained by the ACLU, but > the organization had obtained it earlier through separate procedures. > > Silverstein said it's a three-page list of license plate numbers on cars > parked near the protest, with identities of the cars' owners. > > He said law enforcement officers writing down license plate numbers > easily could include those of people not involved in the protest. > > The license plates and names of protesters who weren't arrested or even > suspected of any crime could be included in such a list, as could the > names of people who weren't even involved in the protest but merely > parked nearby, Silverstein said. > > "Their names and vehicle registration information are now included in > this Joint Terrorism Task Force file," he said. > > He said a Colorado Springs police officer sent the list to the FBI after > the protest, with a note indicating an FBI agent had asked for it. > > Kelso said the FBI agent didn't ask for the entire list, but only for > certain numbers and names involved in an ongoing investigation. She > declined to elaborate. > > The second protest mentioned in the documents was an anti-war > demonstration in Palmer Park in Colorado Springs on Feb. 15, 2003. > > Days before that, an FBI agent wrote a memo requesting "a preliminary > inquiry" into protest plans of three organizations: the Revolutionary > Anti-War Response, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice, and Colorado > Campaign for Middle East Peace. > > "Web sites and hyperlinks associated with the 'Mile High Resistance' an > Anti-Global Expansion, Environmentalist radical movement located in > Denver and Boulder, Colorado, is advertising for an antiwar > demonstration," the agent wrote. > > "They are hyping the demonstration as the 'biggest peace rally in the > history of Colorado' and are representing the size of the rally to be > 2,000 demonstrators," the agent wrote. "The organizations are organizing > car pools and hiring buses to transport the demonstrators to Colorado > Springs." > > "The two groups are advocating committing what they refer to (as) 'civil > disobedience,' possibly by blocking the vehicular traffic at (two > intersections," the agent wrote. > > Kelso said blocking intersections is a type of crime, or potential > crime, to which the FBI should devote attention because the agency is > supposed to protect the rights of Americans. The blocking of > intersections by protest groups can infringe on the rights of others, > she said. > > Thousands of demonstrators showed up at two protests, one at the park > and one at nearby Peterson Air Force Base. Police used tear gas to chase > away dozens of people who blocked nearby intersections. Thirty-four > people were arrested for offenses such as trespassing and failure to > disperse. > > The protests were part of demonstrations staged nationwide that day to > protest the U.S. invasion of Iraq. > > "We want the American people to know that the only time we will open up > an investigation is to protect our citizens from the credible > information that we have gathered, either through intelligence or > through an ongoing investigation, that a crime may be, will be or has > been committed," she said. > > Kelso expressed cordiality toward the ACLU. > > "The ACLU is doing their due diligence, and they have a job to do," she > said. >
OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and environmentalist groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type protest in Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully blocking intersections. I hope I'm not the only one who saw this coming.
Jim E
2005-12-10 02:03:12 EST
"Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message news:APsmf.18138$ME5. > > OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and environmentalist > groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type protest in > Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully blocking > intersections.
Blocking intersections is a crime. One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in front of my truck.
Jim E
Brique
2005-12-10 09:26:41 EST
Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... > > "Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message > news:APsmf.18138$ME5. > > > > OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and environmentalist > > groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type protest in > > Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully blocking > > intersections. > > > Blocking intersections is a crime. > One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in front of > my truck. > > > Jim E >
I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over there............
Duly Appointed Bitchslapper
2005-12-10 12:57:49 EST
"brique" <briquenoir@freeuk.c0m> wrote in message news:1134225113.9570.0@nnrp-t71-03.news.uk.clara.net... > > Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message > news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... > > > > "Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message > > news:APsmf.18138$ME5. > > > > > > OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and > environmentalist > > > groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type protest > in > > > Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully > blocking > > > intersections. > > > > > > Blocking intersections is a crime. > > One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in front > of > > my truck. > > > > > > Jim E > > > > I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over > there............
Correction: they don't have one to be in an anti-globalization protest.
Jim E
2005-12-10 16:57:40 EST
"brique" <briquenoir@freeuk.c0m> wrote in message news:1134225113.9570.0@nnrp-t71-03.news.uk.clara.net... > > Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message > news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... >> >> "Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message >> news:APsmf.18138$ME5. >> > >> > OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and > environmentalist >> > groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type protest > in >> > Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully > blocking >> > intersections. >> >> >> Blocking intersections is a crime. >> One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in front > of >> my truck. >> >> >> Jim E >> > > I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over > there............ > >
Standing in the road is a simple IQ test.
You were saying?
Jim E
Brique
2005-12-11 05:04:53 EST
Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message news:4011ahF1809f2U1@individual.net... > > "brique" <briquenoir@freeuk.c0m> wrote in message > news:1134225113.9570.0@nnrp-t71-03.news.uk.clara.net... > > > > Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message > > news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... > >> > >> "Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message > >> news:APsmf.18138$ME5. > >> > > >> > OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and > > environmentalist > >> > groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type protest > > in > >> > Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully > > blocking > >> > intersections. > >> > >> > >> Blocking intersections is a crime. > >> One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in front > > of > >> my truck. > >> > >> > >> Jim E > >> > > > > I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over > > there............ > > > > > > Standing in the road is a simple IQ test. > > You were saying?
Nothing you would understand....
> > > > Jim E > >
Eli Gottlieb
2005-12-11 10:10:15 EST
brique wrote: > Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message > news:4011ahF1809f2U1@individual.net... > >>"brique" <briquenoir@freeuk.c0m> wrote in message >>news:1134225113.9570.0@nnrp-t71-03.news.uk.clara.net... >> >>>Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message >>>news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... >>> >>>>"Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message >>>>news:APsmf.18138$ME5. >>>> >>>>>OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and >>> >>>environmentalist >>> >>>>>groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type > > protest > >>>in >>> >>>>>Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully >>> >>>blocking >>> >>>>>intersections. >>>> >>>> >>>>Blocking intersections is a crime. >>>>One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in > > front > >>>of >>> >>>>my truck. >>>> >>>> >>>> Jim E >>>> >>> >>>I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over >>>there............ >>> >>> >> >>Standing in the road is a simple IQ test. >> >>You were saying? > > > Nothing you would understand.... > > >> >> >> Jim E >> >> > > > Wow, do you people know how to bitch pointlessly at each other, or what?
Brique
2005-12-11 10:33:38 EST
Eli Gottlieb <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message news:rjXmf.27982$XC4.6175@twister.nyroc.rr.com... > brique wrote: > > Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message > > news:4011ahF1809f2U1@individual.net... > > > >>"brique" <briquenoir@freeuk.c0m> wrote in message > >>news:1134225113.9570.0@nnrp-t71-03.news.uk.clara.net... > >> > >>>Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message > >>>news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... > >>> > >>>>"Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message > >>>>news:APsmf.18138$ME5. > >>>> > >>>>>OK, so the FBI is spying on anti-globalization, peace and > >>> > >>>environmentalist > >>> > >>>>>groups and kept particular records of a "Save the forests" type > > > > protest > > > >>>in > >>> > >>>>>Colorado Springs. The police even chased away people peacefully > >>> > >>>blocking > >>> > >>>>>intersections. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>Blocking intersections is a crime. > >>>>One that will get your ass smeared down the street if you do it in > > > > front > > > >>>of > >>> > >>>>my truck. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> Jim E > >>>> > >>> > >>>I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over > >>>there............ > >>> > >>> > >> > >>Standing in the road is a simple IQ test. > >> > >>You were saying? > > > > > > Nothing you would understand.... > > > > > >> > >> > >> Jim E > >> > >> > > > > > > > Wow, do you people know how to bitch pointlessly at each other, or what?
Hey, it gave me a moment of mirth, thus it contributed to the gaiety of nations, which is all that one can ask.....
Dan Clore
2005-12-12 23:38:42 EST
Duly Appointed Bitchslapper wrote: > "brique" <briquenoir@freeuk.c0m> wrote in message > news:1134225113.9570.0@nnrp-t71-03.news.uk.clara.net... >>Jim E <YD641387@SEA.net> wrote in message >>news:3vvcteF1848oeU1@individual.net... >>>"Eli Gottlieb" <eligottlieb@gmail.com> wrote in message >>>news:APsmf.18138$ME5.
>>I see they still don't have an IQ qualification to drive a truck over >>there............ > > Correction: they don't have one to be in an anti-globalization protest.
So what's your IQ, Stan Rothwell of San Diego?
-- Dan Clore
My collected fiction, _The Unspeakable and Others_: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1587154838/thedanclorenecro/ Lord Weÿrdgliffe & Necronomicon Page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9879/ News & Views for Anarchists & Activists: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
Strange pleasures are known to him who flaunts the immarcescible purple of poetry before the color-blind. -- Clark Ashton Smith, "Epigrams and Apothegms"