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Presenters: Boghosian, Garcia, Hayden, McPhall
1. Overview of Increasingly Hostile
Environment for Activists in an Historical Context:
A catalogue of increasing harsh trends the government has
used to intimidate and make free expression difficult (and
in some cases illegal) for activists generally since 1999.
How use of the term "terrorism" for domestic
dissent has resulted in the creation of laws that target
individuals based on the content of their acts or speech,
and paved the way for the use of terrorism enhancements
against property offenses. Many of these tactics are not
new, but are being used to target individuals with particular
ideologies and to punish them with dramatically enhanced
sentences.
2. Using the Internet (From A Legal Perspective):
In the wake of the SHAC 7 convictions, what does one need
to consider when using the internet for education, outreach,
and organizing?
3. Conducting Work when faced with possible federal government action such as infiltrators and provocateurs (From A Legal Perspective)
4. Potential Implications of AETA for Common Activities Carried Out by Activists
5. Resources
A list of national resources (full list to follow):
National “Green Scare” Hotline
888-NLG-ECOL
In 1996 the National Office of the NLG instituted a national
hotline for individuals who have been contacted by the
FBI in relation to environmental and animal rights-related
protest activities. A Guild member is in charge of answering
calls which come to a cell-phone. She asks what state the
caller is in along with a few other clarifying questions.
After telephone consultation with the National Office the
hotline staffer refers the caller to a Guild attorney in
his or her geographic area, advising the caller that we
do not guarantee that someone will take their case. Since
the hotline’s inception, some Guild members have
actually taken cases from hotline calls to trial. Others
have provided advice on the telephone.
9/11 Hotline—San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter
(415) 285-1041
This hotline is for individuals contacted by the FBI, or
other federal agency, as part of a domestic security investigation.
This includes members of the Muslim or Middle Eastern community
who are being targeted by the Department of Homeland Security;
activists who have been subpoenaed to a grand jury; or
non-citizens who have questions about the impact political
activity could have on their immigration status. This line
is staffed between the hours of 10-6pm, M-F. After hours,
leave a message and it will be returned the next day.