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Seattle police officer at Occupy Seattle action on May Day (photo: Dan Morrill)
Early in the morning, on July 10, a SWAT team from the Seattle police department raided an apartment where organizers from the Occupy movement have been living. A warrant shown to the four people that were sleeping in the apartment at the time indicated the police were looking for “anarchist materials” and the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into militant action that Occupy engaged in on May Day.
The organizers raided are also known to be members of the Red Spark Collective (or the Kasama Project). A press spokesperson for the Red Spark Collective, Liam Wright, told Firedoglake the Seattle Police Department used a “battering device” to knock down the door of the apartment. They went inside. Some kind of a “flash bang grenade” was thrown. Tactical rifles were drawn. They then proceeded to tear apart the apartment destroying a book shelf and tearing down a curtain. Every door they could find was opened. This went on for about an hour and a half before they left the apartment.
Phillip Neel lives in the apartment that was raided (in the topmost unit in the building). He was in the apartment when it was raided with three others (one who lives in the apartment). He told Firedoglake he woke up and thought fireworks were going off. He then heard calls from police over a loudspeaker. He was able to put on some clothes, get on his knees and put his hands behind his head before they got into his bedroom.
When the SWAT team came in his bedroom, Neel asked an officer if he had a warrant. A SWAT “grunt” told Neel a detective would be coming up to the apartment to show it to him. He asked if the SWAT team had broken down the door and if they had knocked first. Neel didn’t get a satisfactory answer.
He and others in the apartment were put in zipties. Police then swept the entire unit. They tore up his room. They went through the upstairs loft. They mostly went through clothes, books and paperwork because, as the warrant showed, they were interested in finding “black hoodies, face masks, goggles,” etc. They were also looking for weapons or incendiary devices but no weapons or incendiary devices were in the apartment.
The police seized property. They took a “zip-up hoodie,” which belonged to Neel’s girlfriend. They took one glove from an upstairs closet. They took a pair of sunglasses that can be worn over another pair of glasses. Fliers and a pamphlet that anyone could’ve picked up at any Occupy action were seized. The police also took a notepad that had his girlfriend’s handwritten notes, which she wrote when she was a Chase 5 defendant. (The Chase 5, who were accused of trespassing during a bank protest, won their case in March.)
One flier was taken, Neel said, because it had the word “anarchist” on it. Someone Neel said works with forensics also verbally noted the organizers in the apartment had pamphlets or materials on anarchists being targeted in FBI entrapment schemes but they were not seized by police. (Slog posted an even more detailed account from Neel on what happened.)
Also, Detective Wesley Friesen, who was previously pulled over by police for drunk driving in Snohomish County and threatened to kill two troopers in 2004 was present during the raid. (He only drew a 20-day suspension and was allowed to keep his job as one of Seattle’s finest.)
The police account of the raid is much more banal:
Early this morning, SWAT and detectives served a search warrant to a residence as part of the ongoing May Day investigation. Just before 6:00 am, detectives contacted four individuals inside the residence in the 1100 Block of 29th Avenue South. The search resulted in evidence that will be useful in the investigation. The detectives are continuing to work toward identifying suspects in the May Day riot. There may be more search warrants in the future. The four individuals contacted inside the residence this morning were cooperative with investigators and after being interviewed, were released from the scene. The May Day investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact SPD’s May Day tip line at (206) 233-2666 or MayDay2012@Seattle.gov.
Seattle police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been investigating organizers in Seattle since May Day because during actions that took place commerce was disrupted, windows were smashed and tires on vehicles were slashed. A police statement says they raided the apartment so they could get closer to “identifying suspects in the May Day riot.”
Nothing appeared to be found that would specifically tie the individuals to property damage that occurred downtown on May Day. They do not know if this means they will be arrested and charged with committing any crimes. They could be subject to further police action, which is why the organizers who were raided met with lawyers today to prepare for whatever authorities might do in the coming months.
This isn’t the first time that Occupy organizers have been targeted by law enforcement. In June, the Puget Sound Anarchists reported:
Over the past few weeks the FBI has contacted and spoken with at least two individuals who have been involved in Occupy Seattle. In both instances, the agents have threatened to take these individuals away from their loved ones. From what is known, these individuals were contacted because of the events surrounding the May 1st General Strike.
It is unknown what specific allegations and accusations the FBI is leveling against these individuals, but the standard tactic of the FBI is to exaggerate the seriousness and consequences of an offense in order to scare someone into cooperating with them or becoming an informant. We would like to remind everyone involved in Occupy Seattle that under no circumstances should anyone talk to the FBI. Anything that is said to them, no matter how seemingly insignificant, can potentially put someone else at risk. [emphasis not added]
Wright viewed what happened as being a part of ongoing and active suppression of radicals—anarchists and communists—within the Occupy movement. Authorities have been trying to “divide out the good activists from the bad activists.” For example, law enforcement infiltrated the Occupy movement in Cleveland and charged five individuals, all allegedly anarchists, with allegedly plotting to blow up a bridge on May Day. Law enforcement also charged five Occupy organizers—again, all allegedly anarchists—with plotting to commit terrorist acts of violence ahead of the NATO Summit in Chicago.
The Committee to Stop FBI Repression condemned the raid:
…In the United States today the forces of repression and reaction, ranging from the FBI to local police forces are trying to intimidate those who are standing up for peace, justice, equality and liberation. The examples are many, including the repression directed at Arabs and Muslims, the coordinated attacks on the occupy movement, and FBI raids on anti war and international solidarity activists.
We condemn this act of political repression and send our solidarity to all those who were targeted in this raid.
The Committee primarily consists of just over twenty antiwar and solidarity activists who were raided by the FBI in 2010 and face a federal grand jury investigation for allegedly providing “material support for terrorism.”
Neel said authorities are clearly trying to send a message to the Occupy movement in Seattle. He also notes that many of the organizers were just going through puberty when the September 11th attacks. Since then, a police state framework in society has slowly taken over (with the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, TSA, etc). Those in the apartment knew not to struggle. They are aware that this is just what police do to movement organizers in a post-9/11 world.
Furthermore, Wright concluded, as movements are ebbing this kind of repression starts to become much more obvious. This is when authorities “oftentimes go after organizers” when there aren’t “thousands of people in the streets that can act in reprisal to what the state is doing.”
These organizers have challenged austerity, corruption, politicians and capitalists who have robbed people around the globe, Wright added. Because they’ve engaged in this activity, he believes they can no longer feel safe in their own home. Seattle police will break down their door and engage in violent repression. And there really isn’t anything that can be done to stop them.
58 Comments
Thank you Kevin, for keeping us informed.
I hope this may be front-paged.
DW
Mods, is there a problem with the comments which you have disappeared twice?
DW
Lets’ try one more time, shall we?
DW
One “step at a time”.
“Anarchist materials”?
Would that be:
Possession of a brain … and paraphernalia?
Who does not like to go fishing?
Ex
pe
di
tion?
Can’t say that, as a whole word?
So, ladies and germs.
I would suggest that “now” just might be the time to consider that the Masters are BECOMING “concerned” … and that their minions are “willing” …
That it were wise of us to seriously consider that the US military will fire on the US public … if asked, or “ordered” to do so.
How shall we, the people, respond when that happens?
Should we think about that question?
DW
Thank you, FDL, for allowing me to share my thoughts and concerns.
DW
One more thought:
(Which I did include, originally.)
Is it not a fundamental “notion”, in civilized society, that human beings have an inalienable right to essential privacy … to be “secure” in their persons and, in that quaint and archaic “term” … their papers …?
Is that not a foundational principle?
Should we think about that question?
Again, FDL, my true appreciation of the opportunity of the open and honest sharing of thoughts and concerns.
DW
I am afraid that those of us who are working against the status quo are now considered terrorists. These invasions must be ordered from high ranking government officials. Would the army fire upon us? I am certain that after all of the propaganda in all the MIC supported media, yes, they would kill us, with the support of the public, who tend to believe in MSM. When I read certain website commentary, the ones that are supportive of Obama, I am astounded at the “go along” mentality that praises his drone murders.
Yes, hiro8, I share each and every one of your concerns.
I also am convinced that we must, as openly as possible, address these concerns and consider how best to deal with them.
To do any less will condemn us, all, to societal collapse and oppression, beyond what most citizens imagine “possible” …
DW
“Anarchist materials”?! That bullshit is good enough for a warrant? Well, that “freedom” isn’t free.
Kevin, Thank you for this post, sounds like what happened in Chicago / NATO protests.
Sadder still is that the Occupy movement is largely off the radar in terms of the general public. Citizenswho are at least somewhat sympathetic to the Occupy movement are often clueless about what’s happening now with the Occupy movement bc the PTB have largely enforced a “code of silence” about it in our media. And/or there are “banal” reports about it, as depicted in the post.
I’ve had some people tell stuff like “Occupy was a good idea; too bad it’s not still going on.” When I say that it is still happening, they are surpised… but largely NOT interested, don’t care, blah blah.
When I’ve talked about police raids like this, a LOT of people are more than willing to “accept” this a natural consequence of a protest movement like this.
The propoganda wurlitzer has done a good job of brainwashing citizens from all sides of the political spectrum.
Thanks for the post and the update. Unsurprised.
Yes, exactly. Very well coordinated and very similar tactics.
Folks, we also need to be aware that email and blogs are being monitored by the thought police, so when we feel like expressing outrage we need to be careful. It’s a dark world we have entered.
Yeah, I know. The SWAT team wouldn’t know anarchist materials if they bit them in the ass. The SWAT team does, however, understand how to terrorize and intimidate, which was exactly what their mission here was about. This is the Global War Of Terrorism of which the fundamental order of business is domestic control.
Has anybody actually seen the “Bill of Rights” lately???
I’d hate for that thing to get lost.
Live like no one is watching you. Or else they have already beaten us by getting us to police our own behavior, which is far more effective than having to send out SWAT teams to get that job done. The Global War Of Terrorism is designed precisely to instill fear in the domestic citizenry. Don’t let them make you afraid.
Don’t forget cell phone conversations and sovial media posting.
Wouldn’t want to leave anything out.
Then let’s dig up the “Mission Accomplished” banner.
The Thought Police aren’t going to stop me. They shouldn’t stop you. If anything were to happen to people who regularly comment here, I would be breaking that story. I would be writing and tweeting about it.
I quickly got TarheelDem’s story out when he was arrested in the preemptive raid ahead of the NATO summit. You can count on me to back people up when they become victims of the ever-expanding police/surveillance state.
I think the destruction of the encampments is largely at fault there. Encampment was a major success because it provided what the anthropologist Victor Turner called “antistructure”:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/02/1103813/-The-source-of-collective-hope
Perhaps the next step is something along the lines of what the Egyptians did in Tahrir Square — but things will have to get a lot worse before that happens.
Thanks for posting this Kevin. Pretty sure it will not be on my evening news.
Do you mean the Bill of Temporary Privileges? (from Carlin here at about 4:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm-Mi1_lLo0 ) Perhaps that’s what the SWAT team was looking for? A copy had gone missing and it was believed to be in the hands of “anarchists.”
The owning class has never taken that Bill seriously except as it serves their interests, and due to 9/11 they have just taken to wiping their asses with it, which is probably why no one has seen the thing lately. I suspect that using the Bill of Rights for toilet paper was the whole purpose of 9/11 to begin with. Or are we to believe that a few thousand stateless combatants armed with nothing more than AKs and RPGs can force the hand of the most powerful nation on the planet?
Tsk tsk tsk… cops will be cops.
Certainly seemed implausible at the time.
Ahhhhhhhh, live and learn. We’re still 9-2-2
“How shall we, the people, respond when that happens?”
We might start by building false walls or attic nooks to hide our fellow communists, gypsies, homosexuals and Jews . . . I mean Terrorists. Plus, that will help insure that any “anarchist materials” will be safe.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/11/4622945/federal-judge-upholds-sacramento.html
Federal Court Judge Englund ruled that Sacramento City was within its rights to kick Occupy out of Ceasar Chavez Park. I often hear Sac citizens whining about Occupy and how they are “losers, slackers, lazy, don’t want to work.” The propoganda wurlitzer at work.
There is still an Occupy encampment in front of City Hall, which is good. But I know that most Sac citizens are blithely unaware of it and/or mostly don’t care. Unfortunate.
There you have it. Prima facie evidence that they are terrorists!
“They” want us to cower in fear. We can’t do that. So keep talkin’ everywhere, keep writing everywhere, be at protests, demos and marches whenever possible. Here in Rochester, NY, at a gas station there was a Homeland Security poster advising people to report if they notice anything suspicious. I wonder if pics were taken of my many bumperstickers, considered by many to be anti American.
“We found this spoon, sir!”
“Well done sergeant.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVN7QJ8m88
“Also, Detective Wesley Friesen, who was previously pulled over by police for drunk driving in Snohomish County and threatened to kill two troopers in 2004 was present during the raid. (He only drew a 20-day suspension and was allowed to keep his job as one of Seattle’s finest.)”
Of course. You need violent assholes like Friesen who act like they are above the law or else who are you going to get to conduct operations like this one?
“Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me lucifer
Cause I’m in need of some restraint”
This and similar seizures of innocuous items at other recent raids makes me wonder what happens to data on items seized, as well as to the items themselves in the hands of people who know how to construct frames. Are categories being created?
Thanks Kevin.
Sounds like someone in Seattle was standing firm when others wanted arrest warrants. Sounds like this was a “compromise” to gather more evidence.
Would like to see the warrant. I hope FDL can post it.
During the days of the civil rights movement the government just killed organizers and leaders. Today it’s years of harassment via our repressive so-called judicial system.
Churlish Occupy protesters standing around and moaning at the powers that be because they aren’t getting their perceived “fair share” of the loot isn’t going to make the powers anymore inclined to be generous. In fact, it’s liable to get swat teams sent out after them.
Far better to just opt out of the crumbling empire now–before it goes under–and start working towards creating alternative structures that can catch a few people in lifeboats for when it finally does go down.
Thank you, Kevin. As someone who puts myself on the line constantly to spread the word about the right to peaceful protest and the abuses of repression, I cannot say how much I appreciate that. I hope if anything happens to me, that you will write about it.
Something I picked up over at Eschaton —no offense to the good folks there, of course.
Note that this is a by-line article. I predict big things are in store for that pair.
The fact that they have joined the military in the first place is evidence that they lack the knowledge to understand that the role of the military is to blindly obey and further the corporate interests through hegemony of USA, Inc. Of course they’d fire on the public, whether ordered to or not. It’s beginning to look a lot like we’ll be facing another Kent State, except it will be a new and improved version on steroids.
Response to the Occupy movement is coordinated by DHS.
A life lived in fear is a life not worth living.
Thanks for that commitment Kevin. I hope someone will be as willing to step up if/when you become a victim of the Machine/Security State.
The Bill of Rights has been superseded by the Patriot Act.
Yes, Kevin.. If anything happens to you, I WILL step up for you. That is a promise.
I have this book here by Chomsky – does that mean my door will be getting kicked in soon? What about all those anarchy books at the library? Will they be snagging all those “materials” as well?
Sheesh.
Oh, hell no. Screw the thought police. I have rights and one of them is to free speech. I will speak my mind. And so should we all. Period.
Anybody here an old SDS-type of hippie? In the 1960′s – early 70′s everyone protesting the Viet Nam war was paranoid (and after the Kent State killings they had every right to be). They would fly helicopters over music festivals and we would all get very nervous wondering if they would open fire or not. I welcome some paranoia because I see it as a turning point of sorts. Once the government got too heavy handed (civil rights, Viet Nam) and the people started to feel some fear, the people started to force things to change.
Wow! That one was straight from the Ministry of Truth. Indeed, those two will go far.
“That it were wise of us to seriously consider that the US military will fire on the US public … if asked, or “ordered” to do so.”
They certainly have many times in the past. The propensity to do this seems to be one of the outcomes of a professional standing army versus the citizen-soldier type.
Yes, exactly.
Fair point. And it is the distrust of authority–the realization that not only are they not looking out for your best interests but also that they mean to do you harm–that erodes its support and helps cause change to take place. A stunning number of US citizens think that civil and military authority–from Obama to their local police force–is on their side. They are not. It’s like we are all siding and identifying with a parasitic mafia extortion racket. But who else will save us from the Terrorists?
My take on “Occupy Wall Street serial killer” story here.
…You can count on me to back people up when they become victims of the ever-expanding police/surveillance state.
Mahalo, Kevin…! We’ve got your back too…! *g*
I saw this kid on RT today. He said he wasn’t an anarchist, he was a communist. Sht you not. What does this nimrod think life would be like in a commie country. No wonder this country is going down. What an idiot
I suspect he might imagine that it would be marginally better than life in a Fascist country . . . ? Maybe he’s been to Cuba and rather preferred it to here? Or perhaps he just didn’t get the memo that what has happened over the last 100 years is that Communism lost and Fascism won? If he’s just a kid, you can hardy fault him for not accepting the harsh, cynical realities of that pretty pass.