DHS has been monitoring 'Black Lives Matter' movement since Ferguson

[Lion Heart 15,041]

The Department of Homeland Security has been monitoring the Black Lives Matter movement since anti-police protests erupted in Ferguson, Missouri last summer, according to hundreds of documents obtained by The Intercept through a Freedom of Information Act request.

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Raven Rakia, a journalist who investigates state surveillance and policing, said that the DHS’ decision to monitor Black Lives Matter is hardly surprising, given the federal government’s well documented history of spying on and suppressing black social movements and groups like the Black Panthers. “There’s a long history of the federal agencies, especially the FBI, seeing black resistance organizations as a threat to national security,” says Rakia.

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Mitchell, the Blackbird activist, says that this continuing surveillance serves not only to keep tabs on black activists, but also to deter them from pushing forward. “Surveillance is a tool of fear. When the police are videotaping you at a protest or pulling you over because you’re a well known activist — all of these techniques are designed to create a chilling effect on people’s organizing. This is no different. The level of surveillance, however, isn’t going to stop us. After all, we organize because our lives depend on it.”

Read the entire article: https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/07/24/documents-show-department-homeland-security-monitoring-black-lives-matter-since-ferguson/?comments=1#comments

 

They have the time to track down and monitor activists who speak out against racial injustices, but not enough time to actually help fix these injustices. Hmm. 

 

Also this comment:

 Alex Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

“Police investigators have vast discretion about what leads to pursue, which witnesses to interview, what forensic tests to conduct and countless other aspects of the investigation,” Kozinski wrote. “Police also have a unique opportunity to manufacture or destroy evidence, influence witnesses, extract confessions and otherwise direct the investigation so as to stack the deck against people they believe should be convicted.”

[FATCAT 60,888]

I don't like our government spying on its citizens, but after a few national incidents "#BlackLivesMatter" has become synonymous with "They take one of ours, we'll take one of theirs."

So, I can see why DHS has been keeping an eye on them, but I don't think it's justified by the 'possibility' of violence and 'terror'.

[gagzus 23,157]

to me this reads as America's own government is admitting it's racist and doesn't want black people speaking out, i bet they've been like this since the slave trade ended tbh secretly behind the scenes. it sounds like a conspiracy thriller plotline  

 

[PEXI 250]

I don't like our government spying on its citizens, but after a few national incidents "#BlackLivesMatter" has become synonymous with "They take one of ours, we'll take one of theirs."

So, I can see why DHS has been keeping an eye on them, but I don't think it's justified by the 'possibility' of violence and 'terror'.

When did this ever happen?

[Supersonic 49,376]

When did this ever happen?

It didn't.

[FATCAT 60,888]

When did this ever happen?

When did what happen?

[artRaver 3,188]

I don't like our government spying on its citizens, but after a few national incidents "#BlackLivesMatter" has become synonymous with "They take one of ours, we'll take one of theirs."

So, I can see why DHS has been keeping an eye on them, but I don't think it's justified by the 'possibility' of violence and 'terror'.

I've never heard it pertained as that synonymous but okay... 

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

The fact that this is being monitored is gross for the reasons listed in the OP and then some  Though understandable if black activists themselves were the ones actually killing people and causing violence and general unrest, (but wait, iis that domestic terrorism?  )

 

But they seem undeterred, so good for them  

[RAMROD 117,131]

 

[Helix 1,487]

I don't like our government spying on its citizens, but after a few national incidents "#BlackLivesMatter" has become synonymous with "They take one of ours, we'll take one of theirs."

So, I can see why DHS has been keeping an eye on them, but I don't think it's justified by the 'possibility' of violence and 'terror'.

Apart from like one incident last year when the Ferguson events were booming where a few cops got injured, there hasn't been any "they take ours, we take theirs" situations  

And even if there have been more situations like that that I've missed, the protests and movement is still one deeply rooted in remaining peaceful, so...?

[Hauser 1,262]

Im not surprised. Our governemnt see's the organization of people rallying behind the BlackLivesMatter movement more of a threat than the illegal and racist actions of cops and people in charge.

[Lion Heart 15,041]

"#BlackLivesMatter" has become synonymous with "They take one of ours, we'll take one of theirs."

What 

 

Are we talking about the same 'Black Lives Matter' movement? http://blacklivesmatter.com/about/

Most of the protests involving the "Black Lives Matter" movement have been peaceful, save for a couple of instances like the initial outcome of the Ferguson, MO shooting involving the death of Michael Brown and the Boston riots. And even then they destroyed their own communities as was the case in Ferguson. Perhaps a few cops did get injured as they were in direct contact, but let's not pretend as if the #BlackLivesMatter movement is running around the country looking for whites to kill. 

Activism is not a crime, killing people is.