This site has dedicated itself to spreading a non-cooperative attitude and practice towards the federal grand jury which currently investigates anarchists in the Pacific Northwest. This remains true, but the scope of what we are dealing with here has grown. Non-cooperation must extend beyond the grand jury room to every place the cops show up.
By subpoenaing individuals to the grand jury, the feds were specifically targeting people they believed (wrongly or not) knew about the individuals who allegedly traveled to Seattle from Portland, allegedly via Olympia, allegedly to attack the federal courthouse. They intended two things: to get information regarding those people, and to create snitches.
Their new strategy still embraces those goals, but also broadens their intimidation to include those whose associations are third or fourth-degree from possible rioters. They want to wedge apart anarchists and those who are sympathetic to their aims.
Some facts about the recent feds’ visits:
- They flashed a lot of resources. The feds appeared simultaneously in 3 or 4 cities (Portland, Olympia and Seattle, and probably Vancouver) as well as some rural places around the region. They appeared in groups as large as 6-8.
- They visited around 10 houses in Olympia, and several other locations for a total of perhaps 20 contacts in Olympia. They visited at least one but reportedly as many as 3 different homeless youth service organizations in Seattle, in addition to an anarchist bookstore. They harassed a handful of people in Seattle quite intensely. Several people in Portland were visited, and reports suggest some people in Vancouver, BC were visited.
- At one house, the feds knocked and someone answered the door. Once the door was open, the feds muscled their way into the house, intimidating residents and asking questions.
- The US Marshals are involved. Marshals track, arrest, and transport people. They also serve subpoenas, and had served at least one subpoena last year related to May Day 2012.
- The scope of their contacts has greatly increased. They are not focused on anarchists and activists: now they target artists, hipsters, and show spaces.
- They showed lists of names and series of photos. They said things along the lines of, “Here is a photo of someone unmasked. Here is a photo of someone masked up. Is it the same person? What is their name?”
Their goal was to prevent May Day 2013 from being a riotous affair. We have seen that, in spite of their attempts, rage spilled over in Seattle yesterday and numerous windows were broken and police were injured. #fbifail
Beyond May Day 2013, they were trying to continue their investigation into May Day 2012. By fishing broadly through subcultural milieus, they hoped to get pieces of information that would lead them to others who would give them more information which they could leverage against yet other people, eventually working their way back in to prosecute those they believe smashed their stupid little courthouse, prosecuting any other crimes they uncover in their process.
Broadly, it seems that people refused to cooperate. Some people talked with the feds. It is worth reiterating again: answer absolutely no questions that the feds ask you. You do not have to acknowledge knowing anyone. You do not have to name people in photographs. You do not have to compare photographs. You do not have to wipe their asses. You do not even have to provide them toilet paper. All you have to do is tell them that you won’t speak to them, and close the door or walk away.
Stay free & wild! Someone submitted these tips to PSA.
saynothing.info