2003–11–23

The FBI is watching

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been collecting information on the tactics, training and organization of antiwar demonstrators, The New York Times reported in Sunday editions.

In a report sourced to several interviews as well as a confidential bureau memorandum, the Times said that the law enforcement agency has also advised local officials that they should report to counterterrorism squads any suspicious activity at protests.

The memorandum, which was circulated to local law enforcement officials on Oct. 15 ahead of antiwar demonstrations in Washington and San Francisco, detailed how protesters have sometimes used “training camps” to rehearse, the Internet to raise funds and gas masks to defend against police use of tear gas, the newspaper reported.

This is comforting. Heh. They say they are only interested in illegal activities that “anarchists” or other “extremist elements”. Funny that every protest I’ve been to has been generally non-violent until the cops start something. It’s rare that anarchists use violence at a protest. Protesters do not show up with weapons, the police do. At most protesters show up with means of defense such as gas masks or goggles. I think this says something about the tendency of protests. We expect that we will be attacked by the police who are armed with rubber coated metal bullets, “bean bag” bullets, gas, etc.

I love freedom and I’m so glad that the government “lets” me express myself… so long as I do it in their designated zone and so long as I let myself be monitored by them at all stages leading up to the protest. Freedom… I wonder what that word means?