Lucas, in a blatant attempt to intimidate peaceful protesters and discourage
First Amendment protected activities, Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents are
reportedly
visiting the homes of peaceful activists and community organizers in Cleveland,
Ohio, and asking about their plans for the Republican National Convention in July.
Sign the petition from CREDO and Daily Kos, telling the House and Senate Judiciary Committees: Investigate FBI and DHS surveillance of activists.
This type of behavior is not new. The FBI and DHS have conducted ongoing surveillance of nonviolent social justice activists and political organizations for years. They have engaged confidential informants, infiltrated groups, interrogated organizers and used social media to create dossiers on activists with Black Lives Matter, School of the Americas Watch (SOAW), Occupy Wall Street and anti-Keystone XL Pipeline groups.
With some congressional Republicans already seeking to use the tragedy in Orlando to make it easier for the FBI to spy on Americans without a warrant, the potential for expanded surveillance powers increases the threat to political groups and activists.
The use of counter terrorism authority to monitor peaceful social justice organizations and organizers is an attack on politically-protected activity, and is a threat to civil society. Congress must find out who is being spied on, why it keeps happening and take steps to make sure it never happens again.
Tell the House and Senate Judiciary Committees: Investigate FBI and DHS surveillance of activists.
Keep fighting,
Monique Teal, Daily Kos