Supreme Court Ruling Could Encourage Even More Aggressive Police Raids

In yet another expansion of police powers since 9/11, the Supreme Court ruled this week that evidence obtained through illegal “no knock” police searches is still admissible in court. So cops don’t have to worry about following the letter of the law too closely in home raids, because even their illegal actions can still be […]

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The Politics of the T-Word

I just ran across this backgrounder on “American Militant Extremists” by the Council on Foreign Relations. I wanted to flag this excerpt for everyone: Not all politically motivated violence qualifies as terrorism (for instance, the FBI and some terrorism experts did not regard the Unabomber, who says his antimodern beliefs were behind a seventeen-year mail-bombing […]

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More Green Scare Protest Bans in the UK

There’s a heated campaign going on in England to block the construction of a controversial animal testing facility at Oxford University. I’ve written a bit about the heavy-handed protest bans at the building site, to silence dissent. Now, in the name of protecting against “animal rights extremists” and “eco-terrorists,” animal rights activists have been banned […]

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National Lawyers Guild Calls Green Scare Tactics Unconstitutional

The National Lawyers Guild has called the FBI’s “Operation Backfire” unconstitutional, and part of an orchestrated campaign to silence dissent. The group’s press release issued Monday is the first time I’ve seen the guild, which prides itself on liberal-to-leftie politics, come out against these witch hunts. It’s a great step in the right direction, and […]

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Profile of NY Activist Facing Life in Prison

The Brooklyn Rail has a profile up today of Daniel McGowan, a well-known activist in the NY area who is facing life in prison. McGowan and 14 others were arrested earlier this year as part “Operation Backfire,” a government roundup of activists in the name of fighting “eco-terrorism” and property crimes. Many of those targeted […]

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DNA Databases Part of the Green Scare?

The Portland Press Herald reported yesterday that state police approached about a dozen environmental activists in Maine for DNA samples, as part of an “ongoing investigation.” Jim Freeman, a member of Earth First!, said a forensic specialist asked him for DNA samples because cops were investigating vandalism around Plum Creek. Environmentalists have opposed development around […]

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Cop Says He Was Demoted For Opposing Green Scare Tactics

From the Associated Press today: LOS ANGELES – A high-ranking California law enforcement official said in a personnel complaint that he was demoted after questioning the legality of federal and state intelligence-gathering methods, but authorities dispute the claims. Edward Manavian was chief of criminal intelligence for the California Department of Justice, and chairman of the […]

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Radio Program on Green Scare (Potter Interviewed)

KPFT 90.1 FM Houston will air a program tonight, 7:30 p.m. CST, as part of the Weekend of Resistance to the Green Scare. You can listen to it online here, thanks to Indymedia. Or just click the button bellow. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]

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News Release: Federal Legislation Risks Classifying Non-Violent Activism as “Terrorism”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, May 23, 2006 Contact: Will Potter will@willpotter.com WASHINGTON – Proposed legislation in the House and Senate includes sweeping language that could classify boycotts, whistleblowing, undercover investigating, and non-violent civil disobedience as “terrorism,” and will have a chilling effect on all activism, a freelance journalist testified before Congress today. The House Subcommittee […]

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Text of Today’s Congressional Testimony

May 23, 2006 House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Legislative Hearing on: H.R. 4239, the “Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act” Statement of Will Potter Journalist specializing in “eco-terrorism” and civil liberties, author of www.GreenIsTheNewRed.com Good morning Chairman Coble, Ranking Member Scott, and members of the committee. I am honored to […]

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