Examiner Reporter:'Occupy' crackdowns coordinated with federal law enforcement officials

[sabrina 1]

'Occupy' crackdowns coordinated with federal law enforcement officials



Police move to clear 'Occupy Wall Street' camp in Zuccotti Park
Credits: Getty Images, 2011

Over the past ten days, more than a dozen cities have moved to evict "Occupy" protesters from city parks and other public spaces. As was the case in last night's move in New York City, each of the police actions shares a number of characteristics. And according to one Justice official, each of those actions was coordinated with help from Homeland Security, the FBI and other federal police agencies.

The official, who spoke on background to me late Monday evening, said that while local police agencies had received tactical and planning advice from national agencies, the ultimate decision on how each jurisdiction handles the Occupy protests ultimately rests with local law enforcement.

According to this official, in several recent conference calls and briefings, local police agencies were advised to seek a legal reason to evict residents of tent cities, focusing on zoning laws and existing curfew rules. Agencies were also advised to demonstrate a massive show of police force, including large numbers in riot gear. In particular, the FBI reportedly advised on press relations, with one presentation suggesting that any moves to evict protesters be coordinated for a time when the press was the least likely to be present.

Emphasis mine ...

All of those raids definitely looked like they were coordinated over the weekend. Someone needs to answer these questions.



Portland police move to evict 'Occupy' protesters

We have been told that the Federal Government 'cannot interfere with the State or City officials'.

If this report is true, that argument can no longer be used to defend those Elected Representatives who have remained silent as the American people, exercising their 1st Amendment rights are being brutalized by what are supposed to Civilian police.



The Reporter has been unable to get a statement from the FBI or the Oakland Mayor's office so far.

He will continue to update the story ...

UPDATE on Zuccotti Park.

Just heard that the Occupiers are returning to Zuccotti Park 'they are opening up the Park' according to the Upstream narrator. Not sure what the police will do. An alert was sent out for people to show up to support them. People cheering as some occupiers return to the Park.

"WE ARE BACK IN THE PARK!" :applause:

http://www.ustream.tv/theother99

They are rebuilding the Library already. And the electricity is on for the first time in weeks.

People chanting 'Occupy Wall Street! All Day All Week! Occupy Wall Street!

They can keep trying to shut it down, it will only grow stronger.

[Fumesucker]

1. We have to get word to Obama so he can put a stop to this..

I'm sure he would if he but knew..

Six degrees of separation folks, we can do it.

[Angry Dragon]

2. You make me smile

[hifiguy]

3. Well, that one made me

:rofl: As if.....

[mmonk]

18. heh

:)

[markpkessinger]

22. You are kidding, right? n/t

[gateley]

28. Hahaha! If he but knew.... :-) nt

[backtomn]

49. Maybe I am paranoid, but......

....did Obama make sure that he was out of town or out of the country when this happened ?? If they would coordinate so that the media wasn't at full strength, could they also do it when Obama appears to have no part in it. Just thinking......

[sabrina 1]

70. That's possible, or maybe a fortuitous convenience. But if that

was the plan, he did not escape it as the Hawaiian Guitar Player decided to bring the Occupy movement straight to those Powers who most need to hear it.

Just read that over 40 cities' police departments coordinated these attacks. So it does sound like this is a federally planned operation to try to shut down the whole movement. As if they could.

[leftyohiolib]

95. he went get his comfortable shoes and join ows

[IamK]

96. If you need an occupy site blown up with a predator, give him a ring... n/t

[ooglymoogly]

97. You do have a head......right? nwat

[piratefish08]

98. hehehehehe......

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. But, but I was told this was paranoid thinking!

And sent to the Dungeon for SPECULATING on this

[markpkessinger]

32. As they say...

... "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." ;)

[ProSense]

5. BREAKING! Homeland Security is NOT coordinating Occupy Crackdown!

BREAKING! Homeland Security is NOT coordinating Occupy Crackdown! (Daily Kos dairy)


The lunacy is creeping. Every RW unsourced, nonsensical conspiracy is being give credence.

[sabrina 1]

9. Typical sourceless 'diary' from certain

posters on DK. Where is his evidence?? Lol, you try to discredit one source, by using another 'blogger' with zero sources.

Sorry, but even without these sources, most people do believe this was the case. Not to mention the information on the NYPD's coordination with the FBI and DHS.

[ProSense]

20. Well

"Typical sourceless 'diary' from certain"

...I'll sit back and watch the pattern:

The Times story is based on a comment Republican co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) made on CNN’s Sunday show State of the Union. (TPM)

Caved! Outrage!

Occupy Nancy Pelosi: The Real ‘One Percent’ Is America’s Political Class (Breitbart's site)

Insider trading?

CNN

<...>

The bill filed Tuesday by Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown would make it illegal for elected congressional officials, their staffs and executive branch employees to use information about pending bills that's not available to the general public in making investment decisions. It would also forbid them from making such information public for personal gain.

<...>

Scott Brown Introduces Bill Applying Insider Trading Laws To Congress: ‘We Serve The Public, Not Our Bank Accounts’ (Think Progress)

"This is the second thing Brown has done today to bolster his financial reform credibility..."

Gingrich: Insider Trading Laws Should ‘Absolutely’ Apply To Congress (Think Progress)

Funny that the media picked up and is running with the Pelosi angle, ignoring the more substantiated charge against Bachus


Actually, it's a great thing the GOP/media and other Democratic detractors have going: Cast doubt (sweetened by the angle that they all do it), and with certainty there will be enough people jumping on Democrats, making them the primary story.

Republican can step up and pretend that they're on the right side, even though they're protecting the rich, greedy corporation, determined to repeal health care reform and destroy Wall Street reform, the EPA etc.

Look over there!

[sabrina 1]

24. What does any of this have to do with 'Democrats'???

This has to do with our COUNTRY!! Do you GET THAT at all??

Your constant jumping in for defend Democrats is your problem. The People do not care about this anymore, you don't seem to get that.

The issues facing this country transcend politics, which is why this movement has so much support from all kind of Americans.

Now, any Democrat who wants to stand up for the people, will be warmly embraced by the people, but those who remain silent can expect to be ignored as the people continue to take control of their government, as they should have done a long time ago, before things got this bad.

I have no idea what all of what you posted has to do with the coordinated (confirmed by Democratic Mayor of Oakland) attacks on the American people this weekend.

Do you have anything to say about the actual topic this time??

[Tx4obama]

34. There are no sources named in your OP. And as far as the Mayor of Oakland

if you read the article on your link it only says that she said she was on a conference call with OTHER CITIES that are being occupied.

There is ZERO evidence that DHS is involved.

[sabrina 1]

37. The report cites an un-named source at Justice. This is

not at all unusual for media reports. But, if it is NOT true, then all the Govt has to do is deny it.

I have seen no denials so far. If I do, I will post them. Lots of people want to know if this is true or not. So, someone from the DHS needs to get out with a denial if it is not true, same for the FBI who have not yet responded to requests for a statement.

[Jim_Shorts]

59. There have been earlier reports of Homeland Security involvement

Naomi Wolf with Kieth Olbermann for one. Naomi being driven to jail - NYPD: "Homeland Security has frozen Ericson Street"
http://current.com/shows/countdown/videos/occupy-wall-street-naomi-wolf-calls-attention-to-the-disturbing-involvement-of-homeland-security-in-her-arrest

You think that Homeland Security is not going to keep a very low profile? Especially after all the blow back on the Patriot Act.

[sabrina 1]

61. Didn't know about that. From Naomi Klein I mean.

Not that I ever doubted it, especially the way it was all so similar, from one city to another, and the huge show of force which was more like a military operation than anything else.

[Divernan]

91. Obama can chanel Capt. Renault in Casablanca

Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!


Obama: I'm shocked, shocked to find that repressions of civil rights occurred at the OWS demonstrations.

[Ken Burch]

62. Those who back OWS, and who object to the coordinated crackdown, are NOT part of a GOP cabal

Most Democrats are sickened by what's happened here.

And you know perfectly well that OWS supporters have not been letting the 'Pugs off the hook.

You, however, have probably been celebrating all day.

:eyes:

[Leopolds Ghost]

103. I got called out (vocally) on another thread for merely saying it was a coordinated crackdown.

Called paranoid for merely posting a descriptive sentence of the coordinated
state - federal - local police effort.

OH DU...

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

16. Deleted wrong place n/t

[Tx4obama]

17. Your comment should be posted as an OP. n/t

[Wait Wut]

30. Agreed.

But, it would make too many of "the people" twitch.

[sabrina 1]

75. Yes, it would because it is from a completely biased and not

very credible source. A blogger saying 'no it's not' is hardly worth any attention, particularly one who is known for this kind of thing. Especially since there has now been more corroboration from the AP of coordination around the country.

Since this article was published, we are still waiting for a denial from the DHS and/or from the FBI and a response from Mayor Quan's office as to who the 18 mayors on the conference call.

The AP has reported that 40 cities' police departments DID coordinate before the crackdowns, which are continuing with the same uniform tactics in each city.

I don't believe the AP is making stuff up like the DK blogger who it appears now, was completely wrong.

We are all still waiting for those denials. Keith Olbermann and Michael Moore are also asking for some kind of comment on these allegations. But so far, we there has been silence.

Do you support this movement btw?

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sabrina 1]

38. So, has the DHS denied this report yet? It's been out there

all day. Anyone from the FBI denying it? The WH? Anyone?

I will post those denials as soon as I see them.

[Maven]

83. Sure. We'll take your word for it.

:rofl:

[Mojorabbit]

89. Early on there were photos of people wearing homeland

security logos on their shirts. They said they were just out gawking if I am remembering correctly.

[JDPriestly]

93. Nonsense. You are naive.

You probably also believe in the "invisible" hand of the market.

I would be quite surprised if there was no federal involvement in this.

Mayor Bloomberg controlled the air space over Zucotti Park at the time of his arrogant, misguided and brutal attempt to crush the movement. I should think that would have taken some coordination at some level with federal authorities.

It would surprise me if a mayor has the right to shut air space off from newscopters.

[ooglymoogly]

99. Once again more unsourced or poorly sourced bullshit.

Nothing there is said without the caveat "or are they" or "after looking into the dubious source".

We get it ProSence; a better mouthpiece will not be found.

My country right or wrong, My Prez right of wrong, the DLC right or wrong....just keep tripping that old saw...maybe someone, sometime will believe the NoSence.

But that is becoming less and less likely as each calamitous event goes down.

[Leopolds Ghost]

102. BREAKING! Democratic Strategist releases puff piece on Daily Kos! Judo chess at 11

You know, here's the thing... "anonymous" protestors were saying last week that this operation was in the works.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2320385&mesg_id=2326978

The FBI has so far failed to respond to requests for an official response, and of the 14 local police agencies contacted in the past 24 hours, all have declined to respond to questions on this issue.

But in a recent interview with the BBC," Oakland Mayor Jean Quan mentioned she was on a conference call just before the recent wave of crackdowns began.

"I was recently on a conference call of 18 cities who had the same situation, where what had started as a political movement and a political encampment ended up being an encampment that was no longer in control of the people who started them."

UPDATE: Wednesday, 12:45 p.m. CT. Speaking of Homeland Security, the department's Federal Protective Service (which is tasked with protecting federal buildings) has been spotted at a couple of 'Occupy' crackdowns, including one in Portland.

UPDATE: Wednesday, 11:15 a.m. CT. Here are a couple of relevant links that are related to this story.

Filmmaker Michael Moore was on "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" last night talking about this very issue. Click here to see the video.

The Associated Press has published a great piece on another set of conference calls about strategy, these organized by the Police Executive Research Forum.

UPDATE: Wednesday, 10:10 am CT. I'm working on at least one new story for today, but I wanted to try and clear up a couple of questions I've gotten since this original story posted yesterday.

I have a hunch that Mayor Quan might have been referring to a conference call between a number of U.S. mayors in her interview, not one with law enforcement officials. But that's just a hunch on my part, since her office has so far declined to offer any explanation of her comments to me.

My original source for the story (who still works at the Justice Dept.) stands behind the original story and we're working to flesh it out in more detail today. I also have some other aspects of the story I'm working on as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [e-mail].

[truedelphi]

6. One other sad thing is that when the M$M press is present, they

are just there to tell their audience how the police had to move in on account of violence. And none of the M$M press ever mentions that the most egregious violence has been against the protesters and not against the police.

[sabrina 1]

10. Yes, that little fact is always left out by the MSM, which is why

I rarely watch them anymore. I watch RT for OWS coverage, which has been excellent, just reporting facts.

I wonder will they feel differently now that some of their reporters were arrested today? Shame on the NYPD.

[truedelphi]

23. I was amazed to find out the other day that one of my friends who lives

Inside the heart of the Bible Belt of Missouri gets something like two hours a day of Russia Today from his cable company. I think that he said it comes to him courtesy of his PBS station.

We get PBS out of San Francisco, (KQED) and it is nothing but cooking shows, Charlie Rose, and every so often old Grateful Dead shows.

When David Blume tried to have them take his film about alternative energy sources and methods, way back in the eighties, the station did take it from him. But then they never showed it, as Chevron threatened to cancel a hefty grant they were about to make if Blume's show got out on the public airwaves.

[ooglymoogly]

100. AP would have us and the world believe, " the police were 'nudging' the protesters with their batons

when in fact, as clearly shown, they were stabbing them repeatedly in the gut as hard as they could.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, sabrina.

[countryjake]

8. They're preparing to move on both Dallas and Houston right now...

according to the OWS Livestream.

What an amazing coincidence!

[rainbow4321]

12. This is making me sick...been to Dallas' site several times

As well as their protests.

They have about 100-120 overnight Occupiers who have been there for 40 days. The cops could sweep them up in a heartbeat and there won't be a soul left at the site. This area is not like NYC/Portland/Oakland, it's very small compared to those places. I think the biggest crowd was the very first day of the protest where there were like 1200-1500 of us. The current camp is basically on the lawn of City Hall so this will all go down right in front of the damn powers that be. Including out newly elected Democratic mayor.

[sabrina 1]

21. Do you have legal representation?

If so, it might be good to not wait for them to end the occupation but to go to court and ask for a restraining order. This was done by Cleveland and by Nashville so far, and in NYC all they got was a ban on tents.

The court is your best protection. But also, if you are on Twitter and/or FB, send out a call for help from other towns, if there are any close to you.

But don't give up, the law IS on the side of the 1st Amendment. There is a Lawyers' league that is helping all the Occupiers.

I will put it on twitter also.

[rainbow4321]

57. OD does have legal rep...

The restraining order request was put before the court last Friday but since it was a federal holiday, it got bumped til Monday. The city said that they "allow" OD to stay over the weekend until that Monday hearing..then the court date got bumped to Tueaday morning.

It was at that court hearing that OD's restraining order request against the city evicting them was denied.

As of that moment, it became fair game for the city to evict OD from the land behind City Hall. Then later this afternoon, the Dallas mayor said "no steps would be taken" by the city tonight to evict OD...laywers from both sides are to meet tomorrow and an OD member is supposed to also address the Dallas city council (with other Occupiers going there to support him).

I went down there tonight when I saw live shots of the OD camp and a LONG line of police cars, etc.. around the camp. OD'ers are taking the city and the Mayor at their word right now that they will not be evicted tonight. What happens tomorrow, who knows.

It was kinda weird when I got downtown and headed towards camp...loud, low flying police helicopter just hovering over the area...just hovering, not moving. Walked by a couple cop cars to get into the camp, several media vans in the parking lot.

Didn't get a sense of urgency or worry from the people I talked to, more of a "we survived another day"..because that is the point it has come to...day to day, hour to hour, ruling to ruling.

[sabrina 1]

25. So sorry, I just saw on Twitter that they are preparing to

raid Dallas. But seriously, that doesn't mean the end. You still have the courts and unbelievable support from all over the country. If you need donations for legal fees or anything, eg, just ask. We will all get that message out for you.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sabrina 1]

14. Well, the people of this country are supporting this movement

and IF these reports are true, they will want to know why the Federal Govt is in any way involved in suppressing the 1st Amendment rights of the American people. Burying it on a blog, is not going to stop that from happening. It would be far better to either deny these reports, or explain them. But cover up is not the answer.

[WillyT]

13. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

:kick:

:hi:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

26. K&R

:mad:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

27. This needs to be seen --

[hootinholler]

29. I really wish this wasn't coming from a RW subway free paper

I want a list of everyone on that conference call that Oakland's Mayor spoke of. Better yet would be a recording of it.

[sabrina 1]

33. Maybe the Mayor can be contacted and asked to explain

her comment. Who was on the list, eg. But even before this report, people remarked on the seeming coordination of the raids over the weekend. And the Mayor's comment merely confirmed those assumptions.

[hootinholler]

40. I agree that this has smelled to high heaven

As the saying goes.

[sabrina 1]

72. I just posted this below, but the AP has revealed that 40

cities' police departments were in contact before the raids, which are continuing btw, this weekend. Michael Moore is asking the Mayor of Portland to reveal what was discussed on THEIR conference call.

So yes, I agree with you, it does all 'smell to high heaven'.

I think we lost our democracy and I hope it's not too late to be waking up to that fact and to try to get it back.

[truedelphi]

35. File a Freedom of Information request.

Type up the words Freedom of Information request at the top of a piece of paper.

Then the names and addresses of the people you want to approach.

The date and time of the call. The matter that was discussed. Respectfully ask that all pertinent information be sent your way.

Sometimes you will be contacted and told you will need to be charged a certain amount of money. I have never been asked for more than $ 4 for the answers to my queries.

California has a very strict Brown Act, and I think for Quan to have even been part of a discussion like this with outside people means she violated the Brown Act.

[hootinholler]

39. I'm not in Ca.

I doubt that I have standing for a request to be honored.

[sabrina 1]

41. Here's the bio for the reporter:

Rick Ellis
Minneapolis Top News Examiner
FollowSubscribe

Rick Ellis has more than a decade's experience in online local news and nearly twenty years experience as a journalist. Beginning at the Chicago Tribune, he has worked for a variety of news outlets, including Patch/AOL, Yahoo and Internet Broadcasting. While he was the managing editor of NBC13.com, the web site won a regional Murrow Award for best big market news site.

Seems he's been doing some coverage of this movement so far. And with 20 years of experience, I imagine he has some sources as most journalists do.

But the point is, people have been calling the FBI, DHS for a statement also, the Oakland Mayor's office and so far, there has been no comment.

If this is a false report, someone from DHS should have made a statement by now, denying it.

[truedelphi]

74. It's your tax payer dollars that are funding the Dept of Homeland Security and the FBI.

I'd be glad to get you the address for the Mayor Of Oakland, should you decide to do a freedom of information request.

[dana_b]

86. do I need to know the EXACT time of the phone call?

I am trying to find this but so far luck. I would gladly file for a FOIA on this.

[truedelphi]

104. I'll see what I can find out about Quan's phone discussions.

Mostly posting this so I keep track of it for another 24 hrs.

[gateley]

31. How do people NOT see the similarities between this and

pre-Nazi Germany? Hell, Nazi Germany -- forget about the "pre".

[sabrina 1]

36. I think people do see the similarities.

No one could watch the brutal attacks on these people and not be concerned about what is going on in this country.

[Fumesucker]

44. LOL... You obviously don't know any of my neighbors..

They'd be cheering the cops..

[sabrina 1]

45. True, there are those from the far right who have been cheering

for it, but considering the polls I think they are in the minority.

However, I do feel for you if you have to deal with such people. :hub:

Here, most people are for this movement, anyone I've talked to anyhow.

[Fumesucker]

47. The funny thing is that if you get them away from politics they can be very nice people..

I genuinely like more than a few wingnuts, my best and oldest friend is a Bible thumping wingnut that has a federal firearms license and at least two or three fully automatic weapons but he's a near genius at his job and a great guy in many ways.

We don't talk politics at all really, there's no point because neither of us is ever going to convince the other and we mutually agreed to drop the subject. Mostly we talk about shared technical interests which doesn't really include guns but covers a lot of other ground.

[sabrina 1]

52. Yes, I agree. I have many friends and relatives who are

Republicans and they really are nice people. I don't talk to them about politics either, but every once in a while, and more so lately, we can and do talk about ISSUES, and unlike a few years ago, they agree that the problems are more than just about Party Politics. So, I have hope that people are beginning to wake up.

[pinboy3niner]

46. Let me guess...

...Faux News devotees?



http://mediamatters.org/blog/201111150002?frontpage

[Fumesucker]

48. One of them has Sarah Palin's book on the bookshelf in his basement office..

I think it's more talk radio than Fox, that's what they stew in several hours a day, Rush and Boortz and so on..

[sabrina 1]

50. Lol, they must be really disappointed by now.

Bigger crowds than ever at their GA tonight, and more support from all over the country. It must be hard to be out on the fringes of society though.

[gateley]

51. The sad thing is, though, they won't get the whole picture

from their nightly news. If we weren't plugged in to it, we wouldn't know, either.

It gets so frustrating that most of the people I come in contact with know that some people are protesting, are in agreement in theory, but that's as far as it goes. It's "other people". They don't realize it's really themselves. :(

[sabrina 1]

53. That's true, and in a way I can relate to them, as that is how I was

for a long time. But I do think that more people now are beginning to wake up because things have become so bad and most people know someone who has been adversely affected by the policies.

So, maybe the vague feeling they have will become more clear as time goes by as it has for so many others.

[gateley]

55. I posted the other day that when I had money I was ordering

something on the phone from QVC -- it cost about $50. The rep asked if I wanted to put it on Easy Pay. I was incredulous that anybody would need to put something that ONLY cost $50 on Easy Pay! Now I literally count pennies and Top Ramen is my friend, so I've learned the great lesson that I NEVER know what it's like for someone else unless I walk in their shoes, and try to refrain from passing judgment.

But I agree - that this is slowly spreading for the tragic reason that more and more people are being affected.

I think we need to tear it down and start all over. It's too rotten to try to save.

On that cheery note... :hi:

[sabrina 1]

60. Yes, it's definitely too broken to fix.

Most people are beginning to realize that. We were asleep for too long while the whole system was being hi-jacked.

[woo me with science]

64. It's scary as hell.

Even scarier that we are looking at an election in 2012 in which there is no candidate who is not part of the threat.

[suffragette]

42. Dan Siegel clearly thinks this is likely as well

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2314401&mesg_id=2315291

[sabrina 1]

43. Thank you for that suffragette.

I remember reading about those 'fusion centers' a few years ago. Forgot about them though. I think Siegel is not alone, most people assumed this was a coordinated, military-style attack on the movement over the weekend.

If this reporter is wrong, then all DHS and the FBI have to do is to deny the report. But so far, there have been no denials that I am aware of.

[suffragette]

54. If they do deny the report, we'll want to read the wording closely

since these fusion centers seem to blur the line between local, state and federal jurisdictions since they bring together private and public personnel at all those levels.

They blur the line by office, by geography and by accountability.

[sabrina 1]

58. Fusion Centers

From your link in the other thread:

Fusion centers are the joint projects of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department. While fusion centers were initially created to target terrorist activities, many are now used to target all crimes and other hazards, like natural disasters. They are owned and operated by state and local entities, with support from the federal government. Fusion centers serve as hubs for bringing together information from distributed sources, including the federal government, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, and the private sector. Fusion centers gather this information for the purpose of collection, retention, analysis, and dissemination. The term, "fusion center," seems to have originated from the Department of Defense (DOD,) and refers to the fusing of information for analysis purposes.

DARPA’s Total Information Awareness Program
On November 9, 2002, the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/09/politics/09COMP.html) disclosed a massive DOD fusion center project managed by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) known as Total Information Awareness (TIA). DARPA was developing a tracking system intended to attempt to detect terrorists through analyzing troves of information.

The project called for the development of "revolutionary technology for ultra-large all-source information repositories," which would contain information from multiple sources to create a "virtual, centralized, grand database." This database would be populated by transaction data contained in current databases such as financial records, medical records, communication records, and travel records as well as new sources of information. Intelligence data would also be fed into the database.

Admiral John Poindexter, former National Security Advisor to President Reagan, headed a key component of the TIA project. TIA was to develop data-mining or knowledge discovery tools that would sort through the massive amounts of information to find patterns and associations. TIA would also develop search tools such as Project Genoa, which Admiral Poindexter's employer, prior to his return to the federal government, Syntek Technologies assisted in developing. TIA aimed to fund the development of more such tools and data-mining technology to help analysts understand and even "preempt" future action.

Looks like they are legal, despite the challenges to them. So, it is more than likely that the Federal Govt is in contact with local authorities including the police.

I don't know why anyone should be surprised. But these were the things we thought were going to be fixed after the election in 2008.

Still waiting for a denial of these claims from the DHS, the FBI or some of the local authorities who participated in the coordinated raids this weekend.

[RufusTFirefly]

56. Shazam! Shazam! Shazam!

Nonsense. I'm sure it's just a remarkable coincidence.

[woo me with science]

63. Well, it's about time we acknowledge what is really happening here.

Our government is bought and paid for, and it is now siding against its own citizens.

This administration and Homeland Security will attempt to keep their fingerprints off these coordinated attacks against OWS for as long as possible, but we need to be clear-sighted here. They are not on our side.

K&R

[sabrina 1]

65. They are definitely not on our side. That has become crystal

clear. I found an article, which I will post later when I have time written by a former Police Chief who gave orders during one of the GTO Conventions to attack protesters, and it turned into one of the worst and most brutal ever.

He regrets that decision now, but he said straight out that the cops and those in charge of them 'are at war with our own people'.

People are denying that this may have happened, the coordination, but I do not doubt it. Not for a minute. We thought so all weekend because the coordinated way in which these attacks happened, looked like a huge military operation.

[slipslidingaway]

66. Olbermann interviews Michael Moore who mentions this story ...

Michael Moore w/ KO on what is next for Occupy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=635062&mesg_id=635062

[sabrina 1]

69. Thanks, haven't seen Keith yet tonight, but Michael Moore is

on twitter demanding to know from the Mayor of Portland who was on that conference call mentioned by Quan.

@MMFlint
Michael Moore

Dear @MayorSamAdams Who was on these two mayor conference calls? Who recorded them? j.mp/w1mzvW

Also, the AP is reporting that it involved 40 cities, see my post below this I believe, just posted it with a link. The police from 40 cities were in conference calls regarding the raids on OWS. They are definitely trying to stop this movement, not question about it.

@MMFlint
Michael Moore
The AP is reporting 2nite that police depts in over 40 cities were on conf calls last wk 2 plan all the #ows raids. What role did feds play?

Good question. Maybe the ACLU can file FOIA papers to find out. But as suffragette posted above, it all may be legal, the Feds coordinating with local cops to go after 'terrorists'. Bush made that possible. We lost our democracy, we elected Democrats to try to get it back. We made a major mistake it seems.

[truebrit71]

79. I think the same 'anonymous source' in the govt confirmed that this was coordinated...

...this needs to be looked into, because if the Feds are coordinating attacks on OWS under the guise of "we're just here to offer you suggestions" then we truly are in deeper shit than most here care to admit...

[intheflow]

81. Like sending "advisors" into Vietnam.

:scared:

[slipslidingaway]

85. Agreed!!! n/t

[Fire Walk With Me]

67. K&R

[sabrina 1]

68. AP reporting that 40 Cities Police Depts were on Conference

call regarding raids on OWS.

Crackdowns reach epicenter of Wall Street protests

The New York raid was the third in three days for a major American city. Police broke up camps Sunday in Portland, Ore., and Monday in Oakland, Calif.

The timing did not appear to be coincidence. On Tuesday, authorities acknowledged that police departments across the nation consulted with each other about nonviolent ways to clear encampments. Officers in as many as 40 cities participated in the conference calls.

They also arrested one of the AP reporters who was a few blocks from the Park, and City Councilman Rodriquez who was released later this evening and appeared to have scratches on him.

[suffragette]

73. More info coming out on this

Apparently they are trying to characterize this as "coincidence" and "spontaneous." Yep, that many mayors and police chiefs just coincidentally and spontaneously ended up in conference calls - yeah, right.


http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/11/15/oakland-other-cities-deny-coordinated-effort-for-nationwide-occupy-crackdown/
OAKLAND (KCBS / AP) — While riot police sweeping through Occupy Wall Street tent cities in Oakland, Portland and New York City over the last several days may suggest a coordinated national effort, authorities on Tuesday maintained it was all purely a coincidence.

However, mayors and police chiefs in 40 cities with Occupy encampments acknowleged that they had held recent conference calls in which they discussed strategies to control crowds and avoid conflict.

~~~
“It was completely spontaneous,” said Chuck Wexler, director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a national police group that organized some of the calls. “This was an attempt to get insight on what other departments were doing.”

Interim Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said he participated in calls organized by Wexler’s group and has talked with officials in the New York police department’s civil disturbance unit and high-ranking police officials in San Francisco.


Article also names Portland Mayor Sam Adams as one of the mayors participating and states the US Conference of Mayors organized the mayors' conference calls.

[woo me with science]

77. Thank you. nt

[sabrina 1]

84. Thank you. Another coincidence, the way the media

helicopters, on Oct 25th eg, suddenly left right before the police attacked the Oakland occupiers. Now the media in NYC is saying they were asked to remove their helicopters from the scene, again, right before the attack.

And yes, 40 cities all had the same idea at the same time, which was, to try to end this protest.

Ray Kelly is a military guy who works closely with the FBI in NYC. I would start there if I were an investigative journalist. And he's close to the WH.

So they were coordinated, at least they are admitting that.

[blackspade]

71. My disgust for the Obama Administration climes daily.

I figured he was bought, but, wow is he bought.

[woo me with science]

76. Kick. nt

[Better Believe It]

78. Thank you President Obama for helping to keep us safe from these terrorist protesters.

[sabrina 1]

87. The people are the enemy, it's become more and more clear

and if this movement has done nothing else, it has exposed the whole system for what it is and made the need for this movement all the more imperative, although it may already be too late.

[Douglas Carpenter]

80. knr

[ProfessionalLeftist]

82. JUST as we suspected. It certainly was no "coincidence" n/t

[FreeBillClinton]

92. And no coincidence that they did it on his Asian tour... what a coward.

[Ignis]

88. So when do the apologists begin eating crow?

Wait, don't tell me: "We don't have all the facts yet," right?

:eyes:

[FreeBillClinton]

90. previous thread: Obama is fine with New York's eviction of OWS protesters.

Well, the thread I made yesterday wasn't too popular: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x816763

But I guess I had it wrong. Obama isn't "fine" with the evictions: He's directing them.

[sabrina 1]

101. Well, it does say he 'was aware of them'.

He is also fine with the Mayor violating a court order, and dismisses the judge's decision while he goes shopping for another judge?

[lordsummerisle]

94. k&r n/t

[A-Schwarzenegger]

105. UPDATE from same reporter on one angle of the DHS connection...

http://www.examiner.com/top-news-in-minneapolis/homeland-security-role-occupy-crackdowns-limited-says-agency