Protesters: Ever deal with the feds? I just did.

[meldroc]

In celebration of October 5th, I went out to a local protest, carrying my sign that read "I WANT MY LIBERTY BACK!!!" While we were there, we noticed a couple gentlemen on the roof of the Costco across the street, taking pictures of us. When the protest organizer actually called the Costco, they confirmed those were FBI agents. Of course, since I was going to be declared an unlawful enemy combatant, I decided I was going to make the best of the situation. I took a magic marker, and made a new sign saying "Hi, Feds!!! Busted Foley yet?" We then proceeded to do some heckling. No death threats or anything like that, just yelling to them "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" "Ever hear of freedom of assembly?" "Go catch some pedophiles!" It was fun, but I'm now pretty sure I'm on their shit list.

Anyone else have experiences like this?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

1. Oh hell yeah!

During the Vietnam war protests the feds took pictures of us all the time. Fuck em, they can't arrest the entire country.

[amitten]

3. A very good point to remember. n/t

[emcguffie]

2. Well, back in the 60s or 70s --

-- whenever the grape boycott was, wherever you went, whatever protest, there were always Feds across the street, or in the supermarket parking lot, taking pictures of everyone. Standard operating procedure. I think Nixon considered us illegal enemy combatants as well.

[FoxNewsSucks]

5. Yes, but Nixon didn't have a newly passed

law that allowed him to declare you "terrist supporters" and have you disappeared, then rendered to Syria for torture.

The lying criminal Bush Bastard soon will.

[Webster Green]

4. Yep indeedy!

After being arrested at the Pentagon (1967 anti-war demonstration).

They can still kiss my ass in Macy's window, the mutherfuckers!

[PhilYerHead]

6. Be not afraid and stand proud.

Eugene Debs, General Smedley Butler, Upton Sinclair, fast forward, Granny D, Howard Zinn, Daniel Ellsberg, and the list just goes on. If you go to prison for your actions you will be in good company.

[meganmonkey]

7. Good job

:)

:patriot:

[bobbieinok]

8. in grad school in the 60s I went to a lecture by the head of the US

communist party. The lecture was on campus and was part of some poli sci series (I think). The guy was way old and I remember thinking that everything he was saying was a major lie.

Around the lecture hall there were men in suits standing near the wall, watching the audience.....not the speaker. It was totally weird. We assumed they were FBI or govt people b/c it had just recently come out that the police depts in SF and LA had units that monitored and photographed every protest.

[niyad]

9. used to take pictures of them taking pictures of us--annoyed the

hell out of them!!

[meldroc]

10. I'm sure those guys hate camera phones now...

Wouldn't know why... :evilgrin:

[meldroc]

13. SMILE, FEDS!!! You're on Candid Camera!!!

I'm feeling especially defiant today...

[watercolors]

11. Yes, Melbourne Fl.

Police photgraphed the demonsrators! It did not go over weel at all.

[Pacifist Patriot]

16. Yep. Nicely handled by the local ACLU too.

Melbourne City Police and Brevard County Sheriff's Office settled the case against them, but it's still pending against the Pentagon. Because MCP and BCS turned over the "Melbourne Six's" information to Patrick Air Force Base. I can't wait to see what comes of that.

[shadowknows69]

12. Not yet

but I'm pretty sure I would have been one of the louder hecklers with you.

[Warren Stupidity]

14. Bring a camera and take pictures of them.

They really hate that.

[jberryhill]

15. Color Me Stupid

Of course you should also take pictures of them.

Taking pictures out in a public place is a perfectly legal activity - for you, and for the FBI.

Maybe its just me, but I can never figure out why every demonstration results in two threads:

1) "Hey, Great Pics of the Protest"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=29263&mesg_id=29263

and

2) "Those bastards were taking pictures of us"

[Warren Stupidity]

17. There is a power relationship issue that is chilling.

This is not an equal relationship: protestor/fed. The Red Squad, or whatever it is calling itself these days, puts you and your picture into their database and if your number comes up on their roulette wheel your life becomes hell. There is simply no equivalence.

[jberryhill]

19. I believe you missed my point...

They are perfectly capable of putting pictures into a database which include those voluntarily taken and posted here on DU.

Or are you suggesting that everyone shown in the "Great Pics of the Protest at X" threads has signed a consent form to publication of their image?

[Warren Stupidity]

20. You are right I missed your point. nt.

[Pachamama]

18. Didn't you know? Yesterday was our "Photo Day" - they were real busy

updating the photos in our files...

I figured a picture of me, a nice suburban stay at home Mommy wearing a Burberry raincoat looking out of the fall catalog of L.L. Bean or Neiman Marcus would look real nice.

:hi: