The Guardian: Revealed - FBI investigated civil rights group as 'terrorism' threat and viewed KKK as victims

[Bozo the kKklown]

 

 

 

[NoCalMike]

Besides the obvious racial element, it would seem a broken record that any time the have-nots in society try to change things, they are viewed as terrorists (on some level).  Trying to upset the "natural order" is usually frowned upon by those who benefit most from it.

[Larry]

I'm going to hope that this is slanted reporting. I'll note that it's possible for a black group to be a threat to peacefully protesting Klansmen. (It's not something I would bet on, but that doesn't mean it can't happen). 

 

I respect the FBI enough to give them that doubt, pending further evidence. 

[JCB]

I'd agree. Political demonization is as old a story as America itself.

[Popeman38]

Did you guys read the documents The Guardian referenced (provided by Property of the People)?

 

Quote

Title: (U//) Opening NECESSARY UNCLASSIFIED/~ EC -_I ________ BAMN - BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY  Re: ... I ______ ___. 10/20/2016

(U//):;:BSJ Captioned investigation is being initiated on BAMN (By Any Means Necessary), a domestic group, based on information that on June 29, 2016, members of BAMN attended a Ku Klux Klan rally and assaulted a [REDACTED], a Nazi supporter.

 

(U) CDC APPROVAL: (U) Field Office CDC has reviewed and concurred with the opening of this investigation. The investigation will be reviewed by the CDC at least semi-annually.

 

(U//~ SUMMARY OF PREDICATION: (U//).::8::{) In 2016, law enforcement learned that the Ku Klux Klan would be holding a rally at the State Capitol Building on June 26, 2016. The KKK consisted of members that some perceived to be supportive of a white supremacist agenda. In response, a number of groups mobilized to protest the rally. Flyers were posted asking people to attend in order to shut down the rally.

 

(U//~ On June 26, 2016, the rally took place as scheduled. Counter-protesters were also present, and violence broke out amongst the crowd. Several people were stabbed and hospitalized; others suffered more minor injuries.

 

(U//~) The event attracted widespread media attention, and several persons at the event were captured on video. [REDACTED]

 

(U//) Special Agent [REDACTED] researched BAMN and discovered that it was a national organization. The group had been active in the Berkeley, California and Oakland, California areas. SA [REDACTED] researched some historical activity of the group by reviewing police records and open source information from various events. In some, the group members lawfully exercised their First Amendment rights by engaging in peaceful protests. In other instances, the members engaged in other activity by refusing to disperse, trespassing in closed buildings, obstructing law enforcement, and shouting during and interrupting public meetings so that the meetings could not continue.

 

(U//) SA [REDACTED] acknowledges that individuals and groups named in this Opening Electronic Communication have been identified as participating in activities that are protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Their inclusion here is not intended to associate the protected activity with criminality or a threat to national security, or to infer that such protected activity itself violates federal law.  However, based on the alleged actions of BAMN . [REDACTED], it is possible the actions of certain BAMN members may exceed the boundaries of protected activity and could constitute a violation of federal law. In the event no such violent activity occurs or is discovered, FBI policy and federal law dictates that no further record be made of the protected activity.

 

(U) POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL LAW

(U) Potential violations of federal criminal statutes include:

Title 18 U.S.C. 241 - Conspiracy Against Rights

Title 18 U.S.C. 2101 - Riots

Seems to me that an investigation was done based on a complaint, the investigation was completed, and BAMN wasn't labeled a domestic terror group.  Isn't that what the FBI is supposed to do when a complaint of abridged rights is made?

[grego]

32 minutes ago, Larry said:

I'm going to hope that this is slanted reporting. I'll note that it's possible for a black group to be a threat to peacefully protesting Klansmen. (It's not something I would bet on, but that doesn't mean it can't happen). 

 

I respect the FBI enough to give them that doubt, pending further evidence. 

 

I'm not sure they're a 'black' group. Alot of pictures and videos seem to portray them as pretty multi ethnic. 

 

A group will be labeled 'terrorist' if they use force to further their political goals. 

 

Whether or not they are doing that probably depends on who you ask. 

[CousinsCowgirl84]

26 minutes ago, Popeman38 said:

Did you guys read the documents The Guardian referenced (provided by Property of the People)?

 

Seems to me that an investigation was done based on a complaint, the investigation was completed, and BAMN wasn't labeled a domestic terror group.  Isn't that what the FBI is supposed to do when a complaint of abridged rights is made?

 

I was wondering what the context for this was. Now we know. Obviously the guardian, nor anyone else cared about the facts, just pushing a narrative. That’s a shame.

[Destino]

Groups that encourage and celebrate political violence should be investigated by the FBI.  I have no problem with them investigating BAMN.  I'd be concerned if the FBI took an approach that ignored violent actions by any organized political group for any reason.  No matter how well intentioned things may appear things can quickly spiral out of control, as they did in the 70s when there were over 2000 bombings in the US in a two year span. 

 

This doesn't mean the KKK isn't exactly what we know them to be, racist terrorists.  Hopefully the FBI is doing more than keeping a close eye on them, no one associated with them should ever get any sort of security clearance in the US.  Really they shouldn't be allowed to work in any government role of any kind, but I don't think the US has any system to keep extremists out of government.   

[Popeman38]

3 hours ago, Destino said:

Groups that encourage and celebrate political violence should be investigated by the FBI.  I have no problem with them investigating BAMN.  I'd be concerned if the FBI took an approach that ignored violent actions by any organized political group for any reason.  No matter how well intentioned things may appear things can quickly spiral out of control, as they did in the 70s when there were over 2000 bombings in the US in a two year span. 

 

This doesn't mean the KKK isn't exactly what we know them to be, racist terrorists.  Hopefully the FBI is doing more than keeping a close eye on them, no one associated with them should ever get any sort of security clearance in the US.  Really they shouldn't be allowed to work in any government role of any kind, but I don't think the US has any system to keep extremists out of government.   

They have provisions to prevent security clearances for normal government folks.