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For months, OWS organizers said police targeted private meetings, questioned protesters, and visited them at home. According to New York ACLU executive director Donna Lieberman:
"The NYPD surveillance does not appear to be limited to unlawful activity. We count on the police, of course, to be on the lookout for terrorists and terrorism, but to think you could be on that continuum just by going to a peaceful protest is nuts."
Undercover cops are involved. FBI agents join them. Activists know they're closely monitored. One said "(t)hey know who we are, where we live, and where we are organizing."
It's also happening in other US cities. Washington's very much involved. If spring and summer protests grow, America's homeland could become a battleground. It's happened before.
On May 2, The New York Times headlined, "Police Warrant Squads Were Used to Monitor Wall Street Protesters, Suspects Say."
People with old warrants for minor violations are targeted. Those questioned said cops had other motives. One was asked about his May Day plans. Another said police examined political fliers in his apartment. They arrested him on an outdated 2007 warrant for an open container of alcohol violation.
Questions are now raised on how far authorities will go. Police had no comment. Power yields nothing. Gerald Celente calls cops enforcers for crime bosses. That's why they're hired in the first place. They serve and protect elites. Ordinary people are sacrificed for their interests.
Last October, an internal DHS report revealed its involvement with local authorities. Titled "SPECIAL COVERAGE: Occupy Wall Street," it said "mass gatherings associated with public protest movements can have disruptive effects on transportation, commercial, and government services, especially when staged in major metropolitan areas."Protests throughout the country are peaceful. Nonetheless, DHS said "large scale demonstrations also carry the potential for violence, presenting a significant challenge for law enforcement."
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