U.S. State Department Warns Corporations: “Never confront the protesters…most of them know what their rights are”
Aug 25th, 2008 by Will Potter
State Department PowerPoint on Animal Rights Activism
For years, the government has relentlessly pushed to label animal rights and environmental activists as “eco-terrorists” and domestic terrorists. The FBI even labels these groups the “number one domestic terrorism threat.” But this State Department PowerPoint puts the “Green Scare,” as many activists are calling it, in much different perspective.
It spells out, with startling candor, that animal rights and environmental activists are less a threat to national security than to corporate financial security. And it shows that the targets of this “War on Terrorism” aren’t just people burning SUVs: the targets are people using their First Amendment rights.
It’s a harrowing glimpse at what this country has become: the dissolution of all lines between corporate interests and government interests, between “terrorism” and free—albeit controversial—speech.
The presentation, “Animal Rights Extremists: Targets, Tactics Business Response & Countermeasures,” is by the Overseas Security Advisory Council, a division of the U.S. State Department. It was leaked to me by someone who attended the briefing, and I have made it available for download at GreenIsTheNewRed.com.
The notes section of the PowerPoint shows the comments of State Department officials, including a listing of illegal activist tactics by groups like the Animal Liberation Front, from arson to the beheading of a snowman (seriously). [If that seems unbelievable, check out the memo from DHS about “eco-terrorism” like tying up company phone lines.]
But what’s most disturbing is how this presentation on “extremism” and “eco-terrorism” includes so much First Amendment activity. The first slide on “major tactics” lists four “extremism” examples: one has only happened in the UK (“physical assaults”) and the other three are legal (posting personal information, videotaping, and demonstrations at executives’ homes).
The State Department admits as much, noting that activists “push the envelope right up to the line where another step would mean they are breaking the law.” In other words, most of these “terrorists” aren’t committing any crimes.
But that hasn’t stopped the government from surveilling, harassing and demonizing legal activists. In fact, this State Department briefing includes a flier for the Animal Rights 2006 National Conference, a mainstream event with hundreds of attendees where I spoke about the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. This year, among the “terrorists” in attendance was Heather Mills.
“Although many legitimate activists attend these events,” the presentation notes, “the conference holds workshops on successful tactics used against your companies…”
So what gives? Why are these activists such a threat?
The first reason: money. These activists are directly targeting corporate profits. “Although incidents related to terrorism are most likely to make the front page news, Animal Rights Extremism is what’s most likely to affect your day-to-day business operations…”
These activists don’t just want reforms, they want to force corporations like Huntingdon Life Sciences out of business. And they’re “calculating, persistent and often effective.”
The second reason: activists aren’t afraid. Despite the “eco-terrorism” rhetoric, despite the FBI attempting to infiltrate vegan potlucks, despite Joint Terrorism Task Forces arresting activists for wearing masks, and on and on and on, activists aren’t backing down and they aren’t caving in to fear. That, after all, is the entire point of all the “eco-terrorism” scare-mongering: to instill fear in everyday people and make them afraid of using their rights. If this chilling effect doesn’t occur, well, the government and corporations have quite a problem on their hands.
“Never confront the protesters,” the State Department warns corporations. “These individuals are clever. Most of them know what their rights are…”
That, it seems, is the greatest threat of all.
What do you think? Are you surprised by this, or should it be expected? How should people respond? Leave a comment…
The State Department admits as much, noting that activists “push the envelope right up to the line where another step would mean they are breaking the law.” In other words, most of these “terrorists” aren’t committing any crimes.
Lolz. “Some of these activist even drive FIFTY FIVE MILER PER HOUR in a FIFTY FIVE MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT ZONE. One more step would mean they are (dun dun dun) breaking the law.”
Clearly the government needs more power to go after those drivers, Matthew, who are livin’ on the edge and about to take things too far…
The connection between corporations and government is so sleazy that I have to keep something pattrice jones said at AR2008 in my mind: Activist repression is a sign of progress. It’s good that corporations (and I suppose government) are scared of animal-rights activists. Shows we’re doing something right.
One of the real tragedies is that the person who made that shitty Powerpoint presentation probably makes over $100,000 a year and drives an Audi.
Yes, repression is a sign of progress. The power is in the streets, where it has always been and always will be.
Lantz:
When you put it that way… I clearly need a career change.
I wonder if Europeans living during the Middle Ages thought about the Catholic Church the way modern Americans think of corporate America. The people can see the power, but for some reason a “separation of [church|corporation] and state” seems to be slow coming.
There used to be a book for lay people and activists about how to navigate around the police. Does anyone remember the title? Has it been updated or does it still need to be given the AETA. I don’t know all of my rights.
I don’t want to be a web blanket. I know, surprise, a cynical vegan, but…. corporate/government action isn’t necessarily a sign of AR activist power. It could just as well be a sign of corporate paranoia and a sign of them having huge enough resources in being able to afford to go after any slight problem.
I do like the idea that the repression is a sign of progress, that the AR movement is a big enough fly for Corporate America to bother to try to slap it.
beforewisdom:
A good flier, “Know Your Rights,” from the National Lawyers Guild and ACLU is here.
Also, I hear the NLG is updating it and making a flier specifically for animal rights and environmental advocates.
And as always, there’s the NLG “Green Scare” hotline, 1-888-NLG-ECOL.
beforewisdom:
Beat the Heat?
“Beat The Heat” it is. Published in 2004 so I am sure it is out of date:
http://tinyurl.com/5h5kgf
Also found these interesting books on Amazon while looking that up:
“Arrest Proof Yourself” ( author is an ex-cop )
http://tinyurl.com/arrestproofyourself
“How To Be Invisible”
http://tinyurl.com/howtobeinvisible
Will — came to this from the Counterpunch piece. You are missing a “T” in DeparTment in the title.
Michael
“These individuals are clever. Most of them know what their rights are…”
I’ll take complements wherever I can get them.
Thanks for letting me know, Michael. That’s actually out of my control, but I’ll email folks at Counterpunch now.
And Stephen: Love that response. Pretty flattering, coming from the State Department!
This is a well done presentation and I saw very little on it about protecting corporate profits, it was mostly about protecting corporate employees. Or is that not important?
Joe, are we looking at the same presentation?
I suggest you take a second look at the very first slide.
“Although incidents related to terrorism are most likely to make the front page news, Animal Rights Extremism is what’s most likely to affect your day-to-day business operations…”
And also the “Business Response & Countermeasures,” which is the heart of the presentation and is ENTIRELY about protecting corporate profits. This isn’t me reading into this, it’s point blank, in the words of the State Department presenter.
Located on the Animal Agriculture website:
http://www.animalagalliance.org/main/home.cfm?Section=Main&Category=Home
are several podcasts which focus on “animal rights” terrorists and FBI involvement and survillance. It’s always interesting to get the perspective of what your “opponent” think. It is good that AR activists may have more influence than what we thought.
ooops - please correct “what your “opponents” think. thank you.
Joe-can you say “cover story”?
Will, I think you are reading into it somewhat. I read through it again and the section on “Business Response & Countermeasures” is mostly about protection of employees and the place of employment. How does putting up survaillance cameras increase profit? Also, what is wrong with the US government producing a presentation that will help protect some of its citizens?
Wow! This is an impressive website. It’s one of the most sophisticated government undercover operations I’ve seen on the http://WWW.
Keep up the good work, you Soldiers and Soldierettes of Helpless Critters.
A boy has never wept nor dashed a thousand kim.
Joe: Good point–what IS wrong with protecting citizens??? Sadly, though, the AR groups are branded “terrorists” for protecting those citizens that the government refuses to protect……
I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV, but I think by definition a corporation can’t be a citizen. Aside from being multinational, corporations have the rights of a person, but (almost?) none of the responsibilities of a person. In other words, a corporation is an entity that is less than a full person. You can only make people citizens and corporations are not full people.
Steve: This slide presentation was made to protect people, look at slide 24, how does a corporation not go home if followed home? How does a corporation change its route to work? The government has made countless presentations over the years on every subject imaginable to help protect its citizens, why is this one any different?
Joe, the focus here clearly isn’t on protecting human beings. As I noted in this article, one of the only instances of this I’ve ever heard of took place in the UK. Some animal rights activists have talked about how they wouldn’t oppose violence if it happened, but it’s been just that: talk.
As this presentation makes clear, that isn’t the real concern. The real concern is successful tactics. That’s why a mainstream, legal, nonviolent conference is profiled by saying:
“Although many legitimate activists attend these events, the conference holds workshops on successful tactics used against your companies…”
The “countermeasures” you mention in the previous comment, about taking another route home, are in the context of making sure activists don’t get information that can be used for home protests. (Which are controversial, yet legal).
Will
In an earlier time such conversations were called “parlor talk”. I wish it would stop. It leads to bad impressions which are bad for all kinds of activists, especially direct action ones.
Will, Just because a home protest is legal doesn’t mean the person who is being protested can’t learn how to protect themselves and avoid one.
Of course, but it doesn’t mean the government should step in to help “protect” corporate execs from protests.
You make it sound like the government has Secret Service protection for them, when in fact all the government did was produce a slide show suggesting what they can do. No where on this presentation did I see where it was made just for corporate execs, it seems to be for all employees and their families.
I’m not trying to make it sound like anything, this is all directly from the presentation. If you don’t have a problem with the government spending national security resources to advise corporations how to avoid protests, that’s one thing. But don’t act as if this is just a goodwill gesture by the State Department: it was given to corporate execs, not their families as you speculate. And it must also be put in the context of the “terrorism” legislation, FBI raids, grand jury witch hunts, domestic spying, PR campaigns, and government informants manipulating people.
If this is just a case of the government trying to offer advice, isn’t it curious why such presentations aren’t being made about the anti-abortion movements, KKK, militias or right wing groups?
I don’t want the government spending any of MY tax money to help these people. Why do THEY get free assistance from the government? Let them pay a private company to help them figure out how to avoid protesters. Why doesn’t the government give free presentations to the AR groups about their rights under the First Amendment???
Tell you what Kathy, they can spend MY tax money on it.
Americans are not free, they are just told that so the lower classes will go fight the Saudis’ dirty little Sunni war for the really free of America, the uber- rich! Wake Up America! You are the hardest working, most productive, suckers on the planet. First you are fed what you are supposed to believe to be ‘good’ and ‘right’ by your modern day Bishops, then you are forced to believe it! Your government has pillaged the resources of the world, destroyed the world environment with global warming , then sold the goods to you for a profit they promptly put in offshore accounts so that they can retire in Dubai and rub shoulders with the uber-rich and famous of the world! The scary people in charge get organ transplants on ocean liners the high seas from living donors, and advertise these services out of France! Wake Up Noble Christian American, and realize you have been deceived!duped! Lied to! Fooled! The people you serve live above the laws they write for you! They have many expensive cars, drink only $500.00 a bottle wine, use narcotics at will, eat human flesh if they wish, and are so isolated from your reality they have to study it to understand it! Remember: McCain, who says he is one of us, can’t remember how many mansions he has, wears $500.00 ‘Frank Sinatra’ shoes, has a very rich ‘trophy’ wife, hasn’t been on a bus in his life, Never did a day’s labor in his life, Can’t type well enough to use a keyboard, yet lives like a rich ruler among us! How cum?? What are their talents that let them live so well??
McCain also spent 6 years in a POW camp, what have you done Uncle B?
This is the biggest pile of shit I ever read. This “Will Potter” is a shill.
The government doesn’t need more power, the Constitution needs to be restored by the people, you commie bastard.
Will, let me apologize in advance for going off topic on your blog.
Joe, I honor McCain’s military service. He was a war hero. From now until the end of time he deserves a certain minimum of respect.
However, that was about 40 years ago. Being a war hero does not elevate him to god hood and it does qualify him to be president. As a presidential candidate he is open to criticism as all presidential candidates are. Given his path we have proof that he is tough enough to handle it.
[...] Read the rest of his story here >> [...]
Sadly, none of this is a surprise. I would expect the government to take the side of corporations over concerned citizens. Especially this administration.
This is ridiculous:
“‘Although many legitimate activists attend these events,’ the presentation notes, ‘the conference holds workshops on successful tactics used against your companies…’”
They admit that tactics are legal, so why do they distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate (?) activists? Perhpas the distinction is between ineffective and effective activists? It’s OK to stand outside with signs and have stupid people yell at us as they drive by, but anything other kind of activism is too . . . successful?
Just FYI, this is a more detailed article about Heather Mills at AR2008:
http://animalrights.about.com/od/organizationsandactivists/a/MillsDonation.htm
I call BS.
This presentation is poorly written and formatted, and there’s no way it came from a government office. It’s a hoax.
For an example of an “official” OSAC document, please refer to this publication, which helps American businesses manage risks while operating overseas:
https://www.osac.gov/Files/getFile.cfm?fileID=380A9D8E-BF62-06E4-3689A393B454E662
Kind of apples and oranges, don’t you think Mac? You linked to a very lengthy printed document, not a PowerPoint presentation. And if you’re shocked the government does anything “poorly written and formatted,” well, you’ve clearly not spent much time in DC.
I verified this presentation with two different sources.
joe: Unless the government is willing to spend an equal amount to assist the other side, they should not use any tax money to assist those who abuse animals and the environment. They need to be fair to both sides. It is not right for the government to pay any money to help these people while, at the same time, persecuting those who defend animals, the environment, and Free Speech. Is this not America????
Jesus, Joe, get a clue. if this were really about “protecting people,” don’t you suppose that those in power would do something to protect protestors and their rights as well…LEGAL protestors are routinely brutalized by scumbag cops, corporate security, employees, and neighbors, and yet they are NEVER charged with anything. i have seen a 200 pound man punch a 130 pound woman in the face at a protest, on camera, and SHE got arrested for noise violation. Please firmly remove your head from your ass.
RE: Mccain, he repeatedly got shot down. He was a lousy pilot. i wish the viet cong had held onto his lousy ass, then we wouldn’t have to deal with him!
p.s. fuck obama, too. corporate puppet scum, all of them!
p.p.s. <3 kathy <3
…the world just seems to get a tad bit scarier every day…
Kathy, I am one of those people who can use this presentation and I, as a Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist have commited my life to the defense of the environment and animals. The people that this slide show warns about are those who send me death threats because I support sound wildlife management which includes hunting. Are you one of those people? In my dealings with AR activist the last thing they seem interested in is allowing me my freedom of speech.
Harry, you are just an asshole!
A death threat for you, unnecessary death for thousands of animals…guess which one I’m not going to cry about?
Joe: Hmmmm…….. that’s interesting. Defending animals by assisting in their murders. If you really want to do anything to help the environment, then work on HUMAN population control. The animals are quite capable of controlling their own populations, if left alone.
As for allowing you freedom of speech–I think any AR activist would agree that you are completely free to SAY whatever you want. However, when you ACT to take the lives of innocent animals, that is quite another matter and, if you get death threats, just remember those are actually coming from the animals, via those humans who speak on their behalf. So–threats of murder in response to acts of murder. Doesn’t seem too outrageous to me.
Kathy, the definition of murder by Webster is “the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law”. I have never committed such an act. I and my colleagues have done more for animal welfare and the environment in a month than you or any AR group has ever done! We are just now finishing a project that if successful will save the Hudson River fishery. We have saved thousands of acers of forest from development and made them into public land for all to hunt,fish,trap,hike,bike,camp and enjoy. I have tracked down,caught and prosecuted polluters. What have you done?
As for your ridiculous suggestion of human control, who should we start with…you?
Come on, McCain never did any labor in his life? He was in the military! Never rode a bus? Not even as a schoolkid? I am not even a fan of his, but this is not true. Transplants from living donors? This kind of stuff makes people think we’re all wacky. I love animals and defend them all I can, but when people go around blowing stuff up and wearing masks breaking into places and tossing stuff at passersby it only makes the average Joe and Jane Blow, the ones we’re trying to convince, think all AR people are crazy and/or terrorists. This does NOT help the cause, and I love animals enough to consider that.
+5 Kathy
Humans are indeed the only ones with seriously problematic population. Overpopulated animals aren’t destroying the life support systems of the planet. And most of the time, animal populations are only thrown out of balance when humans massacre predators (for example, aerial gunning wolves, gassing coyotes in their dens or poisoning them with arsenic, and so on).
Thank you, Harry, for that voice of reason.
As for what you’ve done, Joe– preserving the wilderness so that people can murder (MY definition) animals and fish is NOT doing anything beneficial. No doubt you have contributed greatly to the cause of Animal Welfare, but most Animal Rights people see AW for what it really is–the continued mistreatment of animals while easing the conscience of abusers. So–what you have “accomplished” means nothing to me and the fact that you dismiss human population control as a “ridiculous suggestion” just goes to show how out of touch with the environment you really are.
My point is that I find it ridiculous for you to complain about being victimized while you making a living from victimizing others. People like you should really learn from your moment of standing in the shoes of another but, remarkably, you never seem to do so.
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