FBI Expects Violence at GOP Convention

[southernleftylady]

WASHINGTON - The FBI (news - web sites) anticipates violent protests at the upcoming Republican National Convention in New York but does not have enough evidence to move against any group or person, the bureau's top terrorism official said Wednesday.
New York officials have said they expect hundreds of thousands of people to stage demonstrations around the convention, which begins Aug. 30.

Concern over the convention comes amid heightened security across New York over fears that foreign terrorists might strike the city again. New York remains on a "high" terrorism alert level, while most of the country is on elevated alert.

Federal investigators have infiltrated some organizations and are monitoring plans for protests being published on the Internet. The FBI also interviewed some protesters around the country before last month's Democratic convention in Boston and in anticipation of the GOP convention.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=5&u=/ap/20040818/ap_on_re_us/gop_convention_protest

[NMDemDist2]

1. why would the anti war crowd turn violent unless there are

FBI/Repug infiltrators (as is their wont)

[Eloriel]

20. Exactly -- Now *I* expect violence, but not from the protestors

but rather from infiltrators posing as protestors.

[lil-petunia]

2. by them or by us?

A serious question, really.

[DaveSZ]

3. It would help BUsh then

That's part of the reason Nixon won in '68.

I suspect Rove will probably plant goons who will stir up trouble.

[StClone]

8. Yes to all

Rove, goons, Nixonizing, seeding the idea that trouble from the sweaty liberal masses is unavoidable. I fear the worse from media manipulation. I hope we have a plan to counter this cause I see it getting big play.

[necso]

16. !

[Zorra]

4. Yeah. Instigate violence and make peaceful protesters look bad.

An old trick.

[GOPFighter]

5. Oh Really?

And what makes them think that there will be violence? They don't seem to have any evidence. Oh, duh, of course, the demonstrators will be LEFTISTS, those godless, athiestic, immoral, scum who hate America. Gee, of course there will be violence.

(Hey FBI, who invaded a frickin' sovereign nation without provocation?? How's THAT for violence!)

[bemildred]

6. And if they don't get some, they'll damn well do it themselves. nt

[Cha]

7. Bullshit! Propoganda Bullshit!

I'm on to these guys now..they are saying that they expect violence to give the protesters bad press..and to excuse any bad behavior on their part.

[tridim]

9. They also predict "1000 arrests per day"

Call me crazy, but how can anyone predict arrest numbers before an event happens? Sounds almost like they're planning to incite violence.

[peekaloo]

10. do the French have a name for "agent provocateurs"?

Miami was a warm up.

[buycitgo]

19. yeah

'les agents provacateurs!'

but they don't have a word for entrepreneur


HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa

[allalone]

26. oh brother

joke bad.

[KC21304]

11. Guess this will go along way to get the ball rolling.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0818-11.htm

[LoZoccolo]

13. Never mind.

Oops.

[bossfish]

23. Ted Rall is coming after the GOP...

He's a bigmouth. I DO like a lot of his stuff. But most of this is just him running his piehole.

[nefarious]

12. This proves they plan to plant instigators with the demonstrators

Nothing like making the demonstrators look like a menace to society, is there Mr. Mueller? You and Ashcroft have got a whole black ops contingent ready to start riots and cause chaos and mayhem, just to make the American public indignant with the other guys - Karl probably decided that we needed to be portrayed as a deranged lynch mob of lawless evildoers.

We're on to the Republican-scripted agent-provocateurs, so it will most likely backfire on them.


Failure to prevent terrorist attacks and failure to hold timely elections are a failure of democratic government.

Do your part to decisively repeal the Bush junta.

[Fuzz]

14. Usually when one anticipates it, it does happen

But usually because of the way the people are dealt with. It's like teachers who are told ahead of time a kid in the class is stupid and another is smart. The way each is treated end up effecting the grade.

If the cops expect violence, they're probably going to get it since they will overreact.

[G_j]

15. chalk this up with the bogus terror alerts

their repertoire is extremely limited. Fear, fear and more fear.

If we could only get some media exposure of some 'outed' plants.
A good investigative reporter should be able to get the goods on someone.

(bring your cameras)

[cidliz2004]

17. Caskets of our dead soldiers should be part of the protests

Do any groups plan on carrying "mock soldier caskets" from Iraq? I beleive that would send a good message. The group should also should have a banner saying something like "President Bush, don't try to hide our dead soldiers as they come home to be laid to rest, HONOR THEM!"

There should be a long procession of caskets with flags and a solemn group to accompany it all.

If there is violence, then it will not be good for us. On, the other hand, seeing a nation so "polarized" "torn" "angered".... This may show some people that since Bush got into office, this country has been torn apart. This may "backfire" on Bush.

The Dem. convention was peaceful and positive - didn't create hatred, anger or near revolutionary feelings. If the Repub. convention breaks out with violent protests, it should be emphasized that this is just the beginning of what is to come if w stays in for another 4 years and that not only will Americans be fighting Americans, Americans will be fighting the world.

[physioex]

18. I have no doubt in my mind...

That most of the protestors will be peaceful law biding people who will follow the rules. I am more concerned about the Police and the anarchists who will show up.....

[devilgrrl]

21. If there is violence - the cops will be the instigators!!!

You watch!

[symbolman]

22. Old sixties saying

"if you want a riot, just add COPS.."

this is sickening, and this is where america used to be..

[TheWatcher]

24. Translaltion= COINTELPRO IS BACK IN BUSINESS.

[allalone]

25. of course

they will have plants to start it. Remember Chicago? It was finally judged to be a police riot. Remember the Black Panthers? By the time it was done, half of them fbi moles.

[lil-petunia]

27. Think back to Chicago

no, not 1968, but the anti-war protest last year concerning Iraq.

The city's downtown area became an armed camp. The police, trained and organized by the FBI, were all dressed in black, with body armor, masks, billy clubs and automatic weapons.

Each corner at every intersection had at least a dozen heavily armed police. Once the peaceful march started, the crowd was prodded, pushed, and threatened by police. If you tried to leave, you were either hit or arrested. Hundreds spent the night in jail. After you gave them fingerprints and your name.

This was a police action intended to cause trouble. Luckily, the protesters were too cool and aware. Unless you had a camera. If you dared shoot a "police action" you found yourself on the ground and your camera smashed.

Now, jump to NYNY today, and if the FBI says they expect to arrest 1000 a day, believe it! they will find a way to do it.

Let us keep this message here, loud and clear. Write the News organizations. Place warnings in newspapers. Write, call and e-mail. Only a big pre-convention call to "peaceful arms" by us will prevent the imposition of a police state.

[deutsey]

28. "violence and chaos in the streets works to Bush's advantage"

Todd Gitlin in the recent issue of The Nation:

SNIP

It is, or ought to be, so obvious that violence and chaos in the streets works to Bush's advantage that not a few oppositionists worry about the Republicans planting their own provocateurs in the protest. Such a scenario is not farfetched. Provocateurs know some history, too. They know that disciplined handfuls can start riots amid turmoil. In 1968 a substantial number of the toughs who surged through the Chicago streets, inciting the police to riot, were later revealed to be police and intelligence agents. They urged violent actions, pulled down American flags, led taunts and otherwise triggered police attacks. Afterward, demonstrators exulted, equating their seduction of the cameras with victory. But most spectators who watched the clashes on TV sided with the police. Richard Nixon's people knew what use to make of the footage. They strengthened their hold over the law-and-order vote.

MORE

Posted on Indymedia:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/08/1692234.php

[Bunny]

29. I think that every protester should write

"I (heart sign) the NYPD! at the bottom of their sign, whether they (heart sign) the police or not. This may help the cops understand that we are not THEIR enemies. Aren't the cops pissed at Bloomberg anyway, over salary issues or something? Let them know that we support their cause. Basic psychology.

[Lerkfish]

30. Some of my wacky ideas....

--How about protesting groups INVITE reporters to interview them DURING the protests?
-- How about EVERYONE carry cameras, and even extra cameras (like the disposable kind)
-- How about someone who has those fancy photo cell phones keep sending shots to a designated recipient away from protests who can copy and print them?
-- How about writing letters to the editor, concerned about plants and interating you intent to be peacable, IN SPITE of repug provacateurs.
-- How about ( as someone suggested) everyone wear stockbroker type suits.
-- How about at the beginning of the protest, have someone with a bull horn announce:
"will all republican plant provacateurs please report to central command for debriefing" and see who flinches.
-- How about carrying many, many signs against the plant's provacation, like "Republican Plants are inciting violence!' that sort of thing. Get enough of those signs might either chill them from trying or make really good pictures.
-- carry your own plastic handcuffs and walk, en masse, handcuffed, so that its absolutely clear none of you could do violence anyways. (tha'ts really wacky, sorry) or maybe symbolically walk as if handcuffed in large groups. If everyone is in a submissive posture or calm position (like sitting), then the provacateurs will stand out like a sore thumb.
-- replan the protests blocks away from the convention, far enough away so that the plants will be there first, but close enough to walk towards the convention. If you do this, it will be visually obvious as the plants attempt to infiltrate the crowd.
-- Have everyone whom you KNOW is legit protestor id themselves in a way devised that morning...like a badge or spray painting their thumbs blue, or whatever, so that NONidentified people will stand out.
--When the police show up, all those on the line facing them, stop, and turn physically around, with your backs to them.
-- get some of those eyeglass spy cameras so the cops wont' KNOW they're being documented.

ok, wacky....but there's got to be SOME way to either cut off the provacateurs at the pass, Identify or document them...

[sui generis]

31. I don't think it's the police that are going to "instigate"

If anyone here recalls, a bunch of republican staffers shut down the recount in Florida, posing as "concerned citizens". Most of America didn't give a damn or do anything about it.

If anyone is going to stir up trouble, it is going to be paid republican staffers again. The news reported it, it was in Time magazine with names and backgrounds, and which congressional office the staffers worked for, and NOTHING HAPPENED, except that we lost the election.

The police don't want mega arrests. The FBI doesn't want to be that busy. The Republicans DO want Dems to look like idiots, and they will use every dirty trick in the book to make it happen. We have more to worry about somebody "posing" as a democrat and inciting a riot than we do about any of us actually doing such a thing.

[necso]

32. !