FBI Plans for Antiwar Movement Spur Opposition

[joeunderdog]

A classified FBI intelligence memorandum, leaked to the New York Times last weekend, has raised concern among some civil-rights groups and lawmakers who worry that it reflects a growing tendency on the part of the Bush administration to promote security measures at the expense of key freedoms in the name of fighting terrorism. Among other things the Oct. 15 memorandum calls for local law enforcement officials to report any suspicious activities at protests to its counter-terrorism squads. The Times described it as "the first corroboration of a coordinated, nationwide effort to collect intelligence regarding demonstrations."

snip
"This reminds me of the old Nixon times and the enemies list," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who noted that that the administration has gone to "extraordinary lengths" in attacking lawmakers who question Bush's policy on Iraq. "How could we be fighting abroad to defend our freedoms and diminishing those freedoms here at home?" he asked.

snip
But American University law professor Herman Schwartz told the Times that the memorandum and the operations behind it would very likely exercise a "serious chilling effect on peaceful demonstration. If you go around telling people, 'We're going to ferret out information on demonstrations,' that deters people. People don't want their names and pictures in FBI files," he said.

more...
http://www.antiwar.com/ips/lobe112603.html

[realFedUp]

1. Good piece on Florida police brutality at democracynow.org

This should be investigated in Congress...tell yours.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/26/1538221

Wednesday, November 26th, 2003
Unions Call For Timoney to Be Fired & Congressional Investigation After Bloody Miami FTAA Protests

Listen to: Segment || Show
Watch 128k stream Watch 256k stream
Help Printer-friendly version Email to a friend

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mostly peaceful protests against the FTAA ministerial meeting in Miami were marred by scores of reports of police brutality. Over 200 people were arrested and jailed. We speak with a United Steelworkers of America spokesman and a 71-year old retired airline pilot who attended the protests, as well as Global Exchange’s Medea Benjamin.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The United Steelworkers of America is calling for the firing of Miami police John Timoney following last week's protests against the Free Trade Area of the Americas and the dropping of all charges against peaceful protesters. The mostly peaceful protests were marred by scores of reports of police brutality. Police shot rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters and beat demonstrators with batons.
Over 200 people were arrested and jailed. At least one protester remains hospitalized from injuries he said he sustained at the hands of the police The AFL-CIO and the American Civil Liberties Union are considering suing the city.

And the president of the steelworkers union, called for a congressional investigation into why $8.5 million from the Iraq reconstruction bill was used to pay for security at the protests. He said the money went towards "homeland repression."

[info being]

2. Guess we need to start wearing face masks

.