FBI Began Investigating Occupy Wall Street Before Occupy Was Even Hip

Documents show nationwide surveillance as protests spread throughout US

The Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating Occupy Wall Street before the group's takeover of Zuccotti Park even began, according to documents released to the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF).

The FBI shared information on the movement with local police, universities and businesses, according to documents obtained by the partnership through a Freedom of Information Act request. The FBI pursued contact with protesters to determine if they had violent tendencies, the New York Times reported.

Even counterterrorism agents got involved out of concerns the movement would give a "lone offender" the means to exploit OWS for "for reasons associated with general government dissatisfaction," according to the release.

Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the PCJF, asserted that the FBI improperly gathered information on law-abiding citizens and expressed concern over how the bureau would use such information.

The documents given to PCJF were so heavily redacted that the organization is challenging the FBI's response.

Via the Huffington Post and the New York Times

Do you think the FBI had valid reasons to investigate Occupy?

[twinertia]

Gotta wonder how hard the state crawled into the Tea Party's collective colon?

[PNWest]

Probably not at all. The feds don't do much against the right wing extremists until something like Oklahoma City happens. Law enforcement is traditionally a conservative occupation. It wouldn't surprise me at all if a significant portion of LEOs were baggers.

[bsking]

well when you have a couple 100,000 Tea Party members who have a rally and don't leave behind as much is 1 gum wrapper...

and then the other hand you have the Occupy people destroying private property defacing public property and sexually assaulting and raping women abusing drugs and defecating in public

you could probably answer your own question

[woodtick57]

@PNWest

Remember that far right wing group in was it Ohio or Indiana (one of the corn places...) a couple years ago? Set out to kill cops but they got busted by the Bureau first...

[twinertia]

@bsking According to the article, the FBI's interests involve "general government dissatisfaction", not littering. And the Baggers left behind a little more than gum wrappers, withe their racism, anti-semitism, and gay bashing.

[jessejaymes]

@twinertia Not to mention shell casings. (eyeroll) you have to wonder about people who support organizations who hold rallies with assault weapons but then bitch about littering. About all that's missing from the baggers is the hood and sheet.

[DARSB]

Occupy Heavily Monitored for Potential Criminal Activity, HSBC Slapped on the Wrist for Actual Criminal Activity http://goo.gl/UgAue

[thejimbo]

C'est la vie...smh

[woodtick57]

Glad to see the Bureau on the ball.

[marine1]

How many fools think that we are NOT headed for a police state?

[woodtick57]

You think investigations of groups like this is new?

[marine1]

@woodtick57 Nope, I just hope people are starting to pay attention to it, cause it will get worse.

[woodtick57]

@marine1 So it's been here for how long, but sudenly now it is gonna get worse?

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

[Belin]

We already are with drones flying over our own country. That is blatantly disregarding our right to privacy. Remember that this was initiated under President Obama. Our freedoms being taken piece by piece. The inverstigations prior to the Occupy movement may have been a necessary evil to keep our citizens safe.

[marine1]

@woodtick57 skunkville/90

[jessejaymes]

They have always illegally investigated groups (and lied about) for as long as I can remember. But now they listen into our phone calls without a warrant, they read our emails without a warrant, they can accuse us of being "associated" (but not involved) with issues involving POSSIBLE domestic terrorism, hold us without bail, without charge, without an attorney, without our family being notified or a trial. In other words they can hold us for life in a cell somewhere beneath a mountain and never admit we're there. We have become the USSR.

[woodtick57]

Why do you think this was illegal in any way? this is their job.

[jessejaymes]

@woodtick57 Beats the hell out of me? Maybe "Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the PCJF, asserted that the FBI improperly gathered information on law-abiding citizens and expressed concern over how the bureau would use such information." in the article lead me this direction or the illegal tactics they've used back against the black panthers or the Chicago protests or you, know, just about anything the do? Like Operation wide receiver or fast and furious, or what could I be thinking. I'm supposed to trust my government based on their track record? The KKK says their a fraternal organization today. Most people eye that track record with an equally dubious eye. We're done.

[woodtick57]

@jessejaymes So because someone said it was illegal, that makes it true? There is nothing illegal with gathtering information about people, groups, or organiations.

[jessejaymes]

@woodtick57 Done. We have nothing further to discuss.

[woodtick57]

@jessejaymes

that s what you always way when I bring up facts....

[raven2099]

I was an occupier, in someways i still am...
fbi gov.. all run buy corperatios calling peacefull peole trying to speake out against deciet and injustace terrorists...

Http://raven2099.uni.me

[Real4WheelDrv]

should've done a better job policing YOURSELVES then

[TheJimmy]

How does one find time to protest when there are bills that need to be paid?

[woodtick57]

Better time management. I have protested most of my life for things I believe in. baby carriers are a help....

[bsking]

bills what bills? they just call mommy and daddy ... most of their parents are probably 1 percenters

[thejimbo]

@bsking Most of them still can't Occupy a job, how does that make you feel bsking?

[Barack_Blocker]

@jamesmitchell Most of never tried.

[bsking]

@jamesmitchell I don't really feel anything... but what kind of job skills is 1 demonstrating by pooping on a police car lighting fires in garbage bins and throwing fecal bombs?
what kind of a job do you think they're looking for?

[FFX_VA]

They were being proactive and performed according to their responsibilities (assigned by congress). They did good.

[thejimbo]

First time I've heard you say something positive about the FBI...

[FFX_VA]

@jamesmitchell I don't recall saying anything bad about the FBI (pssst, they might be listening so say nice things ;)

I do pick at the legal policies & procedures, but the FBI itself does very good work. A tad under funded, a little uptight, but the Behavioral Science Unit at Quantico has an awesome Hannibal Lecter display so maybe they're not too uptight.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

It's hard to believe the FBI was involved, considering all the stabbings and raping, defecating on police cars, etc. Obviously, someone told the FBI to stand down. Most of OWS could have been locked up on various crimes from trespassing to attempted murder. OWS never had a valid point. It's obvious why they weren't shut down.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

The Messiah surely couldn't arrest his base, could he? How could they vote for him from behind bars?

[PoliticalSpice]

Defecating on police cars, stabbings, rape of non-gederal officials, or not on indian reservations or federal land are not federal matters. I thought you of all people would know that better. Losing your grasp of federalism, are you?

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@woodtick57 - These OWS terrorists operated over state lines, that makes it federal.

[woodtick57]

@Neo_NtheMatrix

what did they do that was illegal over state lines?

[Dan_Tien]

So the Federal Bureau of Investigation was investigating OWS? Is that a surprise? Isn't that what they do?

[woodtick57]

Yes. Remember when PETA got all upset when they found out the FBI was doing their job in investigating them?

[vws]

What difference does it make - this administration would only ignore any actions by these lunatics.

[Sharpshooter]

I think that's what we pay the FBI for. Gathering intelligence is totally acceptable, a very useful way to prevent crime.

Obviously they were looking in the right place.

[woodtick57]

Actually, when was the OWS ever hip?

[AnObserver]

And I would say it led back to the white house...

[Thegrif]

The biggest, baddest, dirtiest, most underhanded, law manipulating, sneakiest, lying, player in the game is our gov't. You don't get to head of FBI, CIA, even TSA, by the time you get to that level of gov't you have learned how to side step silly little land mines such as the law. You throw the tag of "in the name of public safety" on anything and the law can do whatever it wants. I honestly think the thing our gov't wants, and the last thing we the people should do, is have a revolution.
If we did that the President could and would declare marshall law, in the name of public safety, and then its all over, done.
I know, I know, yall don't believe it. But just look up the road a little ways, you can almost see it off in the distance.

[Belin]

Read the bill of rights. It gives us permission to take up arms and overthrow a government that is not upholding the constitutions and allows us to vote in a new congress and a new president. Do you really think the military is going to fire on its own people? Some may be willing, but most would not. It is also their job to uphold our constitution at home and for the protection of the citizens of this nation, not the government in that sort of situation. Our President is their commander in chief unless he is not upholding the constitution.

[Thegrif]

@Belin u really don't have to tell me what the Bill of Rights says, or what u believe our military would do. First most of milktary will follow orders of their gov't. Part of the reason they will follow orders is because their families will simply comply with the gov't- believing their gov't has their best interest at heart, as they believe now.
2nd FEMA just purchased 250,000 weapons and ammo, now that may not mean much, guns don't matter about against a tank, right? But it makes one wonder about what else FEMA may have. I also wonder who the weapons are for, I was not aware FEMA had a army to arm, were you?
You just remember, brother will turn on brother and mother on child. Like the lil' chip that the first family in America just volunteered to get put under their skin, believing the sales pitch of, it will help keep the children safe, and allow tracking and keep all medical info on it.
See those people that believe that crap will turn on, even family.
Trying to use logic to reason the next move will not work, because we can not see the whole picture, and that is by design.
I do not jump to conclusions, I make intuitive leaps based on the movements and choices of others.
Trust me you will be shocked as this plays out, just how few people see it coming.

[Belin]

@Thegrif
Believe me, I will not be shocked! I know what is coming. Our family will never allow a chip to be implanted under our skin, no matter the consequences if it became manditory!

[Belin]

@Thegrif
I didn't tell anyone to do it. I just pointed out that it existed. All of the things you listed is one of the reasons I am completely against anymore gun control placed on the citizens of this country!

[Thegrif]

@Belin okie dokie then we are on the same page. Guess I misunderstood

[whataGOVwehave]

The Gov. rarely has a VALID reason. They do not need reason at all when they start throwing "public safety" around. It shouldn't be called public safety, it should be called job security.

[bleh23]

Occupy was racist and I am a democrat. Occupy in NYC was all about keeping the blacks in place. I saw it myself. I tried to enter zuccotti and was treated like i was a criminal. I ended up hosting the global rev only to have me taken off the air because people were complaining that a black man was hosting the show too often.

[Belin]

If there was a big enough situation that a lone person could have used it to comit a terrorist act on the premous of the Occupy Wall Street movement, then I believe our leaders/protectors should be allowed to do what is needed to keep people safe. That includes the Occupy Wallstreet protesters lives or prevention of bodily harm. If you were doing nothing illegal, this form of intelligence gathering to protect you should not bother you. The Occupy Wallstreet demonstrations were allowed. That should have given you enough information that the powers that be allowed it and no terrorist act was perpetrated against anyone.

[sylehrman]

They waste a lot of time and money investigating harmless people. Look up the FBI file on the dangerous leftist, Groucho Marx. It is on line. I certainly feel safer knowing that they were keeping an eye on Groucho.LOL