Brandon Darby, who is now acting as one of Andrew Breitbart's little "prankster/investigatory journalist" pets these days, made an appearance at Occupy Wall Street recently. He has a Twitter account @BrandonDarby and has mentioned he'd love to go to Oakland next, and is actively fundraising to make the trip.
Always remember SnitchWire's motto: If only Brandon Darby could be force fed the grill of a Mack truck!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Snitch Sack of Shit Brandon Darby in Florida to Talk to Tea Party Assholes
Hat Tip Earth First!:
That’s right, government informant Brandon Darby and border-loving sheriff Joe Arpaio are scheduled to speak side by side at the Choose Liberty 2012 conference hosted by the Eastern Orlando Tea Party, a group based in central Florida. This event will take place on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, at the Orlando Airport Marriott, 7499 Augusta National Drive, Orlando.
Darby, who is being promoted as a “Former Black Panther turned FBI Informant,” is also featured on the Earth First! Newswire’s Informant Tracking page. He had been providing information to the government since at least 2007. His efforts resulted in the arrest of two activists during the 2008 Republican National Convention who were allegedly planning to attack police cars in response to preemptive repression against the protesters in Minneapolis.
And Arpaio, famous for his pro-border anecdotes and civil liberties violations, will apparently be available for pictures and signing his “famous pink Merchandise” (a reference to his stupid efforts to humiliate prisoners and detained immigrants by making them where pink underwear.)
As repulsive and pathetic as that conference sounds, it isn’t the worse of what’s to come in Florida. If you want to test out your gag reflex, or see how much your blood can boil, take a look at the list of participants for GAIM USA 2012 in Boca Raton, January 22-25. This conference includes 200 of the most influential institutional allocators of capital and investors who have discretion over $215 bn and over $8 tn under advisement (those are shorthand for billion and trillion, folks!! bet you didn’t even know trillion had a shorthand.) If you can imagine an industrial evil, it will have a representative there.
That’s right, government informant Brandon Darby and border-loving sheriff Joe Arpaio are scheduled to speak side by side at the Choose Liberty 2012 conference hosted by the Eastern Orlando Tea Party, a group based in central Florida. This event will take place on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, at the Orlando Airport Marriott, 7499 Augusta National Drive, Orlando.
Darby, who is being promoted as a “Former Black Panther turned FBI Informant,” is also featured on the Earth First! Newswire’s Informant Tracking page. He had been providing information to the government since at least 2007. His efforts resulted in the arrest of two activists during the 2008 Republican National Convention who were allegedly planning to attack police cars in response to preemptive repression against the protesters in Minneapolis.
And Arpaio, famous for his pro-border anecdotes and civil liberties violations, will apparently be available for pictures and signing his “famous pink Merchandise” (a reference to his stupid efforts to humiliate prisoners and detained immigrants by making them where pink underwear.)As repulsive and pathetic as that conference sounds, it isn’t the worse of what’s to come in Florida. If you want to test out your gag reflex, or see how much your blood can boil, take a look at the list of participants for GAIM USA 2012 in Boca Raton, January 22-25. This conference includes 200 of the most influential institutional allocators of capital and investors who have discretion over $215 bn and over $8 tn under advisement (those are shorthand for billion and trillion, folks!! bet you didn’t even know trillion had a shorthand.) If you can imagine an industrial evil, it will have a representative there.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Earth First! Journal Publishes Giant List of Informants
Many of the following listed by EF! have been profiled on SnitchWire before. Many are cooperating informants we have not previously listed. Much kudos towards EF! for putting this out, hopefully the resource is consistantly updated.
--------------------------------------
This is a new feature on the EF! Newswire to keep you abreast on the whereabouts and status of informants and ‘snitches’ who are cooperating with, or working for, the state in effort to monitor and/or repress ecological resistance movements, as well as other liberation struggles. Sadly, the names on this list are people who can never be trusted again to work in activist circles or resistance movements. The page is currently very centered on North American informants. We appreciate any assistance in broadening this to cover a more international scope.
This is by no means a complete list. Please get in touch with possible updates or corrections. We only post information on this page that can be verified to the greatest extent possible through public documents—in most cases, their plea agreements. We have aimed to present short summaries of the individuals below, so that they would be consolidated in a single location. There is very likely more information, including photos, to be found for each individual through online search engines and resources designed to gather personal information on people (some of which cost money). We hope that this page will serve as a useful starting point for those seeking to take their research further. Posted 9/5/11
farms in October 1997. Samuel was an electrical engineering student at the
University of Washington in Seattle before dropping out in 1997. Samuel
was sentenced to two years in federal prison plus a year supervised
release and ordered to pay $364,106 in restitution in exchange for his
cooperation.
He was released on 11-28-2001, and has gone into the computer security field, working for Firefox as of 2010. He is currently a PhD student at UC Berkeley.
Height: 6’ 0″. Weight: ~165 lbs. Place of birth: California. Hair: brown.
Eyes: hazel. Race: white.
His school department profile:
www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~jsamuel
And twitter:
twitter.com/#!/jstnsml
—————————————
*Angela “Angie” Marie Cesario (DOB ~1979): took a cooperating plea deal, pointing the finger at Tre Arrow to reduce her sentence. This was a departure from earlier testimonies, when both Cesario and Rosenbloom did not name Arrow as the instigator, but Jake Sherman. All three named Arrow in exchange for sentences of 41 months. She was released on 12-22-2006.
—————————————
*Jeremy David Rosenbloom (DOB ~1977): took a cooperating plea deal, pointing the finger at Tre Arrow to reduce the sentence. This was a departure from earlier testimonies, when both Cesario and Rosenbloom did not name Arrow as the instigator, but Jake Sherman. All three named Arrow in exchange for sentences of 41 months. He was released on 12-22-2006.
—————————————–
*Jacob “Jake” David Bardwell Sherman (DOB ~1982) of Portland, OR: convicted of arson of logging trucks and a front-end loader near Eagle Creek in 2001. Sherman “immediately began to cooperate” with investigators after his arrest, according to court documents. Sherman was boastful and told several girlfriends (two of whom also provided information to the government), in detail, his version of the events that took place that night. Sherman had also not been an especially careful saboteur. His mother’s vehicle smelled of gasoline and he dumped his clothes in the trash bin when he returned that night at 2:00 am, asking his brother to tell his parents that he had returned home at 10:30 pm. Sherman’s father, contacted the FBI telling them he believed his son
was involved in the arson. During FBI questioning, Sherman pegged Arrow as the ringleader in exchange for a sentence of 41 months.
—————————————
*Darren Todd Thurston (DOB: ~1970), aka “Goat,” of Canada, took a cooperating plea agreement, charged with conspiracy to commit arson and destruction of an energy facility east of Bend, OR in 1999. Thurston was given a sentence of 37 months in prison
after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and arson in the 2001 fire at the Litchfield, Calif., U.S. Bureau of Land Management wild horse corrals. He was released on 8-14-2008. As of summer 2010, he was running his own computer security firm (http://www.hard-mac.com/blog/) out of Canada. He goes by “rad_boy” and “hard_mac”.
—————————————
*Zachary Jensen (DOB: ~1986) of Monroe, WA, Zach Jenson was arrested on January 13, 2006, along with Eric McDavid and Lauren Weiner. He was charged with a single count of conspiracy to destroy by arson or explosives public and private property. His arrest was the direct result of a paid FBI informant, known as “Anna,” who spent over a year and half befriending and entrapping the trio. Zach plead guilty to a lesser charge on July 18, 2006 and was released on bail later that month. The terms of his plea agreement required full cooperation with the government against Eric McDavid at trial, as well as in any and all other investigations in which the government deemed him useful. Zach received time served (which amounted to about 6 months) at his sentencing on December 4, 2008. His supervised release is set to expire in December 2011.
Zach has a medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes. He stands at about 5’5’’. His last known place of residence was Seattle, Washington. He fancies himself a writer and claimed to have been working on a book about his experiences (and warning others against following a similar path) during the time of his sentencing hearing. He has also claimed an interest in Buddhism, yoga and other “spiritual” pursuits. He is normally withdrawn and quiet and eager to please whatever company he might be keeping.
—————————————-
*Lauren Weiner (DOB: ~1986) of Pound Ridge, NY, was arrested on January 13, 2006, along with Eric McDavid and Zachary Jenson. She was charged with a single count of conspiracy to destroy by arson or explosives public and private property. Her arrest was the direct result of a paid FBI informant, known as “Anna,” who spent over a year and half befriending and entrapping the trio. Lauren was released on bond in early February 2006 and later plead guilty to a lesser charge on May 30, 2006. However, there is evidence that Lauren was cooperating with the government months before the plea agreement was signed. The terms of her plea agreement required full cooperation with the government against Eric McDavid at trial, as well as in any and all other investigations in which the government deemed her useful. Lauren received time served (which amounted to about 3 weeks) at her sentencing on December 11, 2008. Her supervised release is set to expire in December 2011.
Lauren has a heavy build, with brown hair and brown eyes. She stands at
about 5’1’’. Her last known place of residence was Pound Ridge, New York
(Westchester County). Lauren attended art school and is quite skilled in
pottery and various other art forms. She is outspoken and often lies or
engages in hyperbolic speech to impress those around her. Stories have
surfaced about her attempting to attend fundraisers for Green Scare
defendants after her release on bond.
—————————————–
*Lacey Phillabaum (DOB: ~1975) from Spokane, WA: Phillabaum took a cooperating agreement, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, arson, and use of a destructive device at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture in 2001. The university spent $7.2 million to rebuild the center. She is very intelligent, calculated and manipulative. Phillabaum is a former Earth First! Journal editor, known for her role as the narrator of the underground documentary film Breaking the Spell, which advocates property damage and examines the 1999 Seattle WTO riots from the perspective of anarchists in Eugene, OR. In 2005 she moved to Charlottesville, VA, to take reporting position at C-Ville Weekly. She turned herself in to federal agents sometime around early 2006. In 2008, Phillabaum was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years’ probation.
She was released on 4-21-2010 and is currently out after transitioning via a halfway house in Spokane, WA. She is thought to be living at her parents’ house in Pheonix, AZ and reportedly seeking work as a para-legal.
—————————————
*Sarah “Kendall” Harvey Tankersley (DOB: ~1977), originally from Ohio, the daughter of two attorneys, was arrested while living in Flagstaff, AZ; Charged with arson and attempted arson of U.S. Forest Industries in Medford. Kendall received a 3-year, 10-month sentence. Judge Ann Aiken sentenced Tankersley to five months less than she agreed to when she pleaded guilty to arson at the U.S. Forest Industry’s office in Medford in 1998 because she cooperated with the state and left the conspiracy immediately after the arson. Tankersley, then 28 and preparing for medical school, pled guilty in 2006 to charges including conspiracy to commit arson from 1996 through 2001. Left Eugene around 1999, attended Humboldt State and graduated with molecular biology degree in 2004.
She was released on 9-17-2010.
————————————–
*Suzanne Nicole Savoie (DOB: ~1977), aka “India,” of Applegate, OR: charged with arson at Superior Lumber Co., in Glendale, OR. She was sentenced to more than 51 months in prison for her role in two arsons. She turned self in to FBI agents in mid-January 2006. Savoie made statements against Nathan Block and Joyanna Zacher and was given a sentence only 8 months less than expected because of her cooperation with investigators. She has been in a Seattle halfway house with a projected release date of 3-24-2011. [UPDATES NEEDED]
--------------------------------------
This is a new feature on the EF! Newswire to keep you abreast on the whereabouts and status of informants and ‘snitches’ who are cooperating with, or working for, the state in effort to monitor and/or repress ecological resistance movements, as well as other liberation struggles. Sadly, the names on this list are people who can never be trusted again to work in activist circles or resistance movements. The page is currently very centered on North American informants. We appreciate any assistance in broadening this to cover a more international scope.
This is by no means a complete list. Please get in touch with possible updates or corrections. We only post information on this page that can be verified to the greatest extent possible through public documents—in most cases, their plea agreements. We have aimed to present short summaries of the individuals below, so that they would be consolidated in a single location. There is very likely more information, including photos, to be found for each individual through online search engines and resources designed to gather personal information on people (some of which cost money). We hope that this page will serve as a useful starting point for those seeking to take their research further. Posted 9/5/11
Currently walking free
*Justin Clayton Samuel (DOB: Dec. 31, 1978) from Snohomish, WA. Cooperated with government by testifying against Peter Young. Both were charged with cutting fences and liberating mink from a series of furfarms in October 1997. Samuel was an electrical engineering student at the
University of Washington in Seattle before dropping out in 1997. Samuel
was sentenced to two years in federal prison plus a year supervised
release and ordered to pay $364,106 in restitution in exchange for his
cooperation.
He was released on 11-28-2001, and has gone into the computer security field, working for Firefox as of 2010. He is currently a PhD student at UC Berkeley.
Height: 6’ 0″. Weight: ~165 lbs. Place of birth: California. Hair: brown.
Eyes: hazel. Race: white.
His school department profile:
www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~jsamuel
And twitter:
twitter.com/#!/jstnsml
—————————————
*Angela “Angie” Marie Cesario (DOB ~1979): took a cooperating plea deal, pointing the finger at Tre Arrow to reduce her sentence. This was a departure from earlier testimonies, when both Cesario and Rosenbloom did not name Arrow as the instigator, but Jake Sherman. All three named Arrow in exchange for sentences of 41 months. She was released on 12-22-2006.
—————————————
*Jeremy David Rosenbloom (DOB ~1977): took a cooperating plea deal, pointing the finger at Tre Arrow to reduce the sentence. This was a departure from earlier testimonies, when both Cesario and Rosenbloom did not name Arrow as the instigator, but Jake Sherman. All three named Arrow in exchange for sentences of 41 months. He was released on 12-22-2006.
—————————————–
*Jacob “Jake” David Bardwell Sherman (DOB ~1982) of Portland, OR: convicted of arson of logging trucks and a front-end loader near Eagle Creek in 2001. Sherman “immediately began to cooperate” with investigators after his arrest, according to court documents. Sherman was boastful and told several girlfriends (two of whom also provided information to the government), in detail, his version of the events that took place that night. Sherman had also not been an especially careful saboteur. His mother’s vehicle smelled of gasoline and he dumped his clothes in the trash bin when he returned that night at 2:00 am, asking his brother to tell his parents that he had returned home at 10:30 pm. Sherman’s father, contacted the FBI telling them he believed his son
was involved in the arson. During FBI questioning, Sherman pegged Arrow as the ringleader in exchange for a sentence of 41 months.
—————————————
*Darren Todd Thurston (DOB: ~1970), aka “Goat,” of Canada, took a cooperating plea agreement, charged with conspiracy to commit arson and destruction of an energy facility east of Bend, OR in 1999. Thurston was given a sentence of 37 months in prison
after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and arson in the 2001 fire at the Litchfield, Calif., U.S. Bureau of Land Management wild horse corrals. He was released on 8-14-2008. As of summer 2010, he was running his own computer security firm (http://www.hard-mac.com/blog/) out of Canada. He goes by “rad_boy” and “hard_mac”.
—————————————
*Zachary Jensen (DOB: ~1986) of Monroe, WA, Zach Jenson was arrested on January 13, 2006, along with Eric McDavid and Lauren Weiner. He was charged with a single count of conspiracy to destroy by arson or explosives public and private property. His arrest was the direct result of a paid FBI informant, known as “Anna,” who spent over a year and half befriending and entrapping the trio. Zach plead guilty to a lesser charge on July 18, 2006 and was released on bail later that month. The terms of his plea agreement required full cooperation with the government against Eric McDavid at trial, as well as in any and all other investigations in which the government deemed him useful. Zach received time served (which amounted to about 6 months) at his sentencing on December 4, 2008. His supervised release is set to expire in December 2011.
Zach has a medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes. He stands at about 5’5’’. His last known place of residence was Seattle, Washington. He fancies himself a writer and claimed to have been working on a book about his experiences (and warning others against following a similar path) during the time of his sentencing hearing. He has also claimed an interest in Buddhism, yoga and other “spiritual” pursuits. He is normally withdrawn and quiet and eager to please whatever company he might be keeping.
—————————————-
*Lauren Weiner (DOB: ~1986) of Pound Ridge, NY, was arrested on January 13, 2006, along with Eric McDavid and Zachary Jenson. She was charged with a single count of conspiracy to destroy by arson or explosives public and private property. Her arrest was the direct result of a paid FBI informant, known as “Anna,” who spent over a year and half befriending and entrapping the trio. Lauren was released on bond in early February 2006 and later plead guilty to a lesser charge on May 30, 2006. However, there is evidence that Lauren was cooperating with the government months before the plea agreement was signed. The terms of her plea agreement required full cooperation with the government against Eric McDavid at trial, as well as in any and all other investigations in which the government deemed her useful. Lauren received time served (which amounted to about 3 weeks) at her sentencing on December 11, 2008. Her supervised release is set to expire in December 2011.
Lauren has a heavy build, with brown hair and brown eyes. She stands at
about 5’1’’. Her last known place of residence was Pound Ridge, New York
(Westchester County). Lauren attended art school and is quite skilled in
pottery and various other art forms. She is outspoken and often lies or
engages in hyperbolic speech to impress those around her. Stories have
surfaced about her attempting to attend fundraisers for Green Scare
defendants after her release on bond.
—————————————–
*Lacey Phillabaum (DOB: ~1975) from Spokane, WA: Phillabaum took a cooperating agreement, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, arson, and use of a destructive device at the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture in 2001. The university spent $7.2 million to rebuild the center. She is very intelligent, calculated and manipulative. Phillabaum is a former Earth First! Journal editor, known for her role as the narrator of the underground documentary film Breaking the Spell, which advocates property damage and examines the 1999 Seattle WTO riots from the perspective of anarchists in Eugene, OR. In 2005 she moved to Charlottesville, VA, to take reporting position at C-Ville Weekly. She turned herself in to federal agents sometime around early 2006. In 2008, Phillabaum was sentenced to three years in federal prison and three years’ probation.
She was released on 4-21-2010 and is currently out after transitioning via a halfway house in Spokane, WA. She is thought to be living at her parents’ house in Pheonix, AZ and reportedly seeking work as a para-legal.
—————————————
*Sarah “Kendall” Harvey Tankersley (DOB: ~1977), originally from Ohio, the daughter of two attorneys, was arrested while living in Flagstaff, AZ; Charged with arson and attempted arson of U.S. Forest Industries in Medford. Kendall received a 3-year, 10-month sentence. Judge Ann Aiken sentenced Tankersley to five months less than she agreed to when she pleaded guilty to arson at the U.S. Forest Industry’s office in Medford in 1998 because she cooperated with the state and left the conspiracy immediately after the arson. Tankersley, then 28 and preparing for medical school, pled guilty in 2006 to charges including conspiracy to commit arson from 1996 through 2001. Left Eugene around 1999, attended Humboldt State and graduated with molecular biology degree in 2004.
She was released on 9-17-2010.
————————————–
*Suzanne Nicole Savoie (DOB: ~1977), aka “India,” of Applegate, OR: charged with arson at Superior Lumber Co., in Glendale, OR. She was sentenced to more than 51 months in prison for her role in two arsons. She turned self in to FBI agents in mid-January 2006. Savoie made statements against Nathan Block and Joyanna Zacher and was given a sentence only 8 months less than expected because of her cooperation with investigators. She has been in a Seattle halfway house with a projected release date of 3-24-2011. [UPDATES NEEDED]
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Briana Waters is a Snitch
Briana will knowingly provide the state information on ELF activity and contribute to the same kind of imprisonment she was subject to as a non-cooperating defendant. This makes her a snitch.
More on War On Society:
Her decision comes at a time when anarchists and radical environmentalists across the country and somewhat internationally have shown widespread support and solidarity with Marie Mason and Eric McDavid this past June 11th. Marie Mason and Eric McDavid are both serving 20 plus year sentences. In the wake of Briana Waters decision it is important to remember that there are others with true strength and convictions in their ideas. Let us remember those who continue the struggle inside prison and never flip on their friends or comrades.As heartbreaking as it is to see Briana turn, it is important to remember that Briana is somebody's mother, and she likely did this to stay out of jail to continue to parent her daughter. She was well supported by social movements, and many people will be angry and betrayed by her decision. They are completely correct in that anger, should not blame themselves, and it should be noted that Briana was thinking about herself, her future, and her family. She is selfish and couldn't handle the sacrifices so many others have endured.
Total freedom for NON-COOPERATING Green Scare prisoners!
Solidarity with Sadie, Justin, Marie, Eric, Exile, Grant, Michael, Daniel, Scott, and non-cooperating ALF and anarchist prisoners!
Strength to those still free and on the run!
Once again, the state wins with the same tactics. Many of these cases required informants and cooperating defendants, and the accused likely could've beat the charges due to lack of evidence.
Nobody talks, everybody walks.
Fuck that snitch Briana Waters.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Searching for Snitches: A response to "To take on the Wild Beast"
from Puget Sound Anarchists:
On May 13th, an article called "To take on the Wild Beast" was posted on Portland Indymedia, calling for readers to snitch on a big list of leftists, radicals, and anarchists. Back in January, an article similar to "To take on the Wild Beast" showed up on Portland Indymedia and a bunch of other Indymedia websites around the world. The article insinuated (but did not outright say) that a bunch of different radical (and some not-so-radical) activist-type groups and ideologies were wanted by the police and FBI. The article encouraged readers to call a number of snitch hotlines and report for cash rewards.
At the time, Olympia Rising Tide (one of the groups mentioned) released this statement, originally posted at http://anarchistnews.org/?q=node/13524 and http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2011/01/405571.shtml:
"An article titled 'In the Fight to Make a Better World' recently appeared on several Indymedia websites, including Portland Indymedia. The article began,
'You read indymedia, chances are you know some protesters who are wanted by the police and the FBI. The good news is that now you can receive a big cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of crimanals [sic]. It's easy just a quick call. and if you know more that one person you can get multiple REWARDS up to $2000 for each . for information leading to the arrest of known criminals and subversive group activity.'
"The article then listed a wide-ranging and diverse collection of activist groups, movements, and political parties, including Democracy Now!, the Animal Liberation Front, Socialist Labor Party, and 'Anarcist [sic] book fair,' among many others. We were very surprised to see our name on this list, right in between Cascadia Rising Ecodefense and Freedom for Animals. The article finishes by providing contact information for various federal agency snitch lines, including the FBI and Homeland Security.
"Although the implicit premise of this article is that Olympia Rising Tide (and everyone else mentioned) are wanted by the police and FBI for criminal activity, it is important to note that Shayne O'Neill, the supposed author of this fishing expedition article, never actually accuses us of any criminal activity, nor of being wanted by the police or FBI. Olympia Rising Tide is a legal, aboveground community group. We have never carried out any illegal actions in the fight for a just and sustainable world. Some people do perform underground actions to dismantle oppressive power structures, but those are tactics that Olympia Rising Tide chooses not to use. The police and FBI have no grounds on which to accuse us of any illegal activity - that is why they are looking for people who read Indymedia to provide that non-existent information.
"Fishing expeditions (searches for information on groups disliked by the State and Capital but about whom the State has no incriminating information) are a scare tactic used to neutralize groups who are effective at creating change. The police wish to silence us by sowing fear, distrust, and misinformation in our community. We believe we are being targeted because we are vocal, uncompromising, and effective (qualities any social or climate justice group should be proud to claim), not because we have broken any laws.
"It is important to remember that nothing good ever comes from talking to the police. If you don't talk, they won't have any information. The majority of convictions of activists would not be possible were it not for informants, undercover agents, and snitches. Even if you think you are going to 'clear up our name,' it is better to say nothing at all. If questioned by police, remember that the only thing you should say is 'I am going to remain silent. I would like to speak with my lawyer.' Without voluntary snitches, the police would be much less effective at neutralizing activist groups. However much reward money you are offered (and do you really think they'll deliver on that promise?), it is never worth it to betray your friends, comrades, and the movement. And statistically, people who snitch receive sentences that are just as long, if not longer, than those who refuse to talk. If you snitch you're not 'just telling them what they already know,' you're giving them the tools to fabricate charges where they couldn't before, and you're setting back the movement. If you incriminate others, you are also incriminating yourself and making yourself a target of investigation.
"This false insinuation that Olympia Rising Tide is comprised of known criminals and is wanted by the police and FBI is part of the larger crackdown on environmental and animal rights activists known as the Green Scare. Activists who carry out non-violent but illegal activities in furtherance of animal or earth liberation are demonized as violent terrorists. This 'terrorism' rhetoric is used to prevent people from speaking out in the first place, and justify the criminalization of previously free speech. The government is not going after us for breaking the law, they're going after us because we're effective. For more information on the Green Scare, check out www.greenisthenewred.com.
"Anyone who has information on Shayne O'Neill or the source of the original article is asked to please contact Olympia Rising Tide at olympia@risingtidenorthamerica.org. If you believe you have been harassed because of your political beliefs, affiliations, or perceived political beliefs and affiliations, please contact the National Lawyers Guild's Green Scare hotline: 1-888-NLG-ECOL.
"Olympia Rising Tide will not be scared into passivity, nor will we allow ourselves to be neutralized by unfounded allegations of criminal activity. We will continue to remain vocal, uncompromising, and effective in confronting the root causes of climate change."
(To be clear, the article you are reading now was not written by Olympia Rising Tide, just some anarchists who appreciated their previous commentary and found it to still be pertinent.)
The most significant difference between the article that appeared in January and the one that appeared on May 13 is the terrorism rhetoric. In the previous article, the author only insinuated that the people and organizations listed were known criminals and wanted by the police and FBI. In this article, the author goes ones step further and insinuates that the groups and people are domestic terrorists. Whatever government agency wrote this call for snitches can get away with the terrorism rhetoric because they didn't outright say “such-and-such group is a terrorist organization,” although the FBI and police have certainly done so in the past with many of the groups listed here, and could certainly get away with calling every one of these groups terrorists – not because anyone on this list inspires terror, but because the FBI and police can get away with whatever they want, including lying through their teeth.
We (the authors of what you are reading now) are anarchists. We are under no illusions that the State has our best interests at heart. This attempt to gather information on radical and revolutionary groups is not the result of a few “bad apples.” This is how the State functions. We are under no illusions that the State will follow its own rules of conduct. If the State is ever forced to follow its own rules, it simply revises them. So while we are not surprised that it is gathering information on radicals (really, this is nothing new), we are pissed off and sick of this shit.
In their response to the initial snitching article, Olympia Rising Tide wrote of the criminalization of free speech. While we agree that the State is always looking for ways to silence more and more oppositional voices, we would like to shatter the illusion of “free speech.” Under the State and capitalism, speech has never been free for People of Color, poor people, queer and trans people, or any other number of targets of oppression. While it is crucial to support Green Scare prisoners and note how the government has fractured earth and animal liberation movements into “legal” versus “illegal” and “violent” versus “non-violent,” it is just as important to note the ways in which the government has also done so (and continues to do so) in communities of color, poor communities, and queer and trans communities.
To be clear, we are at war. Against the forces that oppress us and keep us miserable in all aspects of our lives, against capitalism and the State. We don't expect the State to play nice, but we expect people to recognize which side they're on and not sell out their comrades. Playing by the State's rules (whether that means avoiding illegality or adhering to Nonviolence) doesn't guarantee you won't be targeted. Debates over violence versus Nonviolence and whether or not property destruction constitutes “violence” are a dead end that serve to further neutralize all forms of resistance and further fracture the movement.
Finally, we would like to note that this snitch search has appeared on Indymedias all over the world. Almost every article is attributed to the name of a different author. We don't believe that the names listed are the actual authors (in all likelihood, whatever agency that wrote this bullshit just gathered a bunch of names from the internet), and we caution against taking action against anyone whose name appears on this article unless it can be verified that they actually had a hand in this.
- Some anarchists
On May 13th, an article called "To take on the Wild Beast" was posted on Portland Indymedia, calling for readers to snitch on a big list of leftists, radicals, and anarchists. Back in January, an article similar to "To take on the Wild Beast" showed up on Portland Indymedia and a bunch of other Indymedia websites around the world. The article insinuated (but did not outright say) that a bunch of different radical (and some not-so-radical) activist-type groups and ideologies were wanted by the police and FBI. The article encouraged readers to call a number of snitch hotlines and report for cash rewards.
At the time, Olympia Rising Tide (one of the groups mentioned) released this statement, originally posted at http://anarchistnews.org/?q=node/13524 and http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2011/01/405571.shtml:
"An article titled 'In the Fight to Make a Better World' recently appeared on several Indymedia websites, including Portland Indymedia. The article began,
'You read indymedia, chances are you know some protesters who are wanted by the police and the FBI. The good news is that now you can receive a big cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of crimanals [sic]. It's easy just a quick call. and if you know more that one person you can get multiple REWARDS up to $2000 for each . for information leading to the arrest of known criminals and subversive group activity.'
"The article then listed a wide-ranging and diverse collection of activist groups, movements, and political parties, including Democracy Now!, the Animal Liberation Front, Socialist Labor Party, and 'Anarcist [sic] book fair,' among many others. We were very surprised to see our name on this list, right in between Cascadia Rising Ecodefense and Freedom for Animals. The article finishes by providing contact information for various federal agency snitch lines, including the FBI and Homeland Security.
"Although the implicit premise of this article is that Olympia Rising Tide (and everyone else mentioned) are wanted by the police and FBI for criminal activity, it is important to note that Shayne O'Neill, the supposed author of this fishing expedition article, never actually accuses us of any criminal activity, nor of being wanted by the police or FBI. Olympia Rising Tide is a legal, aboveground community group. We have never carried out any illegal actions in the fight for a just and sustainable world. Some people do perform underground actions to dismantle oppressive power structures, but those are tactics that Olympia Rising Tide chooses not to use. The police and FBI have no grounds on which to accuse us of any illegal activity - that is why they are looking for people who read Indymedia to provide that non-existent information.
"Fishing expeditions (searches for information on groups disliked by the State and Capital but about whom the State has no incriminating information) are a scare tactic used to neutralize groups who are effective at creating change. The police wish to silence us by sowing fear, distrust, and misinformation in our community. We believe we are being targeted because we are vocal, uncompromising, and effective (qualities any social or climate justice group should be proud to claim), not because we have broken any laws.
"It is important to remember that nothing good ever comes from talking to the police. If you don't talk, they won't have any information. The majority of convictions of activists would not be possible were it not for informants, undercover agents, and snitches. Even if you think you are going to 'clear up our name,' it is better to say nothing at all. If questioned by police, remember that the only thing you should say is 'I am going to remain silent. I would like to speak with my lawyer.' Without voluntary snitches, the police would be much less effective at neutralizing activist groups. However much reward money you are offered (and do you really think they'll deliver on that promise?), it is never worth it to betray your friends, comrades, and the movement. And statistically, people who snitch receive sentences that are just as long, if not longer, than those who refuse to talk. If you snitch you're not 'just telling them what they already know,' you're giving them the tools to fabricate charges where they couldn't before, and you're setting back the movement. If you incriminate others, you are also incriminating yourself and making yourself a target of investigation.
"This false insinuation that Olympia Rising Tide is comprised of known criminals and is wanted by the police and FBI is part of the larger crackdown on environmental and animal rights activists known as the Green Scare. Activists who carry out non-violent but illegal activities in furtherance of animal or earth liberation are demonized as violent terrorists. This 'terrorism' rhetoric is used to prevent people from speaking out in the first place, and justify the criminalization of previously free speech. The government is not going after us for breaking the law, they're going after us because we're effective. For more information on the Green Scare, check out www.greenisthenewred.com.
"Anyone who has information on Shayne O'Neill or the source of the original article is asked to please contact Olympia Rising Tide at olympia@risingtidenorthamerica.org. If you believe you have been harassed because of your political beliefs, affiliations, or perceived political beliefs and affiliations, please contact the National Lawyers Guild's Green Scare hotline: 1-888-NLG-ECOL.
"Olympia Rising Tide will not be scared into passivity, nor will we allow ourselves to be neutralized by unfounded allegations of criminal activity. We will continue to remain vocal, uncompromising, and effective in confronting the root causes of climate change."
(To be clear, the article you are reading now was not written by Olympia Rising Tide, just some anarchists who appreciated their previous commentary and found it to still be pertinent.)
The most significant difference between the article that appeared in January and the one that appeared on May 13 is the terrorism rhetoric. In the previous article, the author only insinuated that the people and organizations listed were known criminals and wanted by the police and FBI. In this article, the author goes ones step further and insinuates that the groups and people are domestic terrorists. Whatever government agency wrote this call for snitches can get away with the terrorism rhetoric because they didn't outright say “such-and-such group is a terrorist organization,” although the FBI and police have certainly done so in the past with many of the groups listed here, and could certainly get away with calling every one of these groups terrorists – not because anyone on this list inspires terror, but because the FBI and police can get away with whatever they want, including lying through their teeth.
We (the authors of what you are reading now) are anarchists. We are under no illusions that the State has our best interests at heart. This attempt to gather information on radical and revolutionary groups is not the result of a few “bad apples.” This is how the State functions. We are under no illusions that the State will follow its own rules of conduct. If the State is ever forced to follow its own rules, it simply revises them. So while we are not surprised that it is gathering information on radicals (really, this is nothing new), we are pissed off and sick of this shit.
In their response to the initial snitching article, Olympia Rising Tide wrote of the criminalization of free speech. While we agree that the State is always looking for ways to silence more and more oppositional voices, we would like to shatter the illusion of “free speech.” Under the State and capitalism, speech has never been free for People of Color, poor people, queer and trans people, or any other number of targets of oppression. While it is crucial to support Green Scare prisoners and note how the government has fractured earth and animal liberation movements into “legal” versus “illegal” and “violent” versus “non-violent,” it is just as important to note the ways in which the government has also done so (and continues to do so) in communities of color, poor communities, and queer and trans communities.
To be clear, we are at war. Against the forces that oppress us and keep us miserable in all aspects of our lives, against capitalism and the State. We don't expect the State to play nice, but we expect people to recognize which side they're on and not sell out their comrades. Playing by the State's rules (whether that means avoiding illegality or adhering to Nonviolence) doesn't guarantee you won't be targeted. Debates over violence versus Nonviolence and whether or not property destruction constitutes “violence” are a dead end that serve to further neutralize all forms of resistance and further fracture the movement.
Finally, we would like to note that this snitch search has appeared on Indymedias all over the world. Almost every article is attributed to the name of a different author. We don't believe that the names listed are the actual authors (in all likelihood, whatever agency that wrote this bullshit just gathered a bunch of names from the internet), and we caution against taking action against anyone whose name appears on this article unless it can be verified that they actually had a hand in this.
- Some anarchists
Monday, April 11, 2011
Lead ELF Informant Jake Ferguson Arrested on Drug Charges
The government has repeatedly called Ferguson a “hero.” U.S. Attorney Kirk Engdall has said he was “essential” to the largest investigation of the radical environmental movement in U.S. history.
In exchange for doing the government’s work for them, Ferguson, who was involved in about 18 arsons, was sentenced to no jail time and five years probation. In other words, the most prolific arsonist in the history of so-called “eco-terrorism” got a free pass.
But Ferguson was arrested on April 6, 2011, on drug charges and now faces prison time for violating these conditions. Today will be his first probation violation hearing at the Eugene federal courthouse.
I think this is worth highlighting for a few reasons. Ferguson’s drug history is not new information. In fact, the government used this against him in order to pressure him to become an informant. The FBI was well-aware of his personal history, but chose to ignore this because it was the only lead they had in arresting members of the ELF.
This is yet another example of how far the FBI has been willing to go, and the shady deals that agents are willing to make, in order to secure a victory in the “War on Terrorism.”
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Greenscare Snitch Suzanne Savoie Goes to the Movies
From Ashland FilmsIf a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a documentary that features anarchist and environmental activist, Daniel McGowan . It traces a period of time from his initial arrest on December 7th, 2005, in a federal investigation known as “Operation Backfire,” to the day he began his 7-year sentence for two actions claimed in the name of the Earth Liberation Front. Alongside this focus on Daniel, the film also takes a look at how the radical environmental movement began and talks to a variety of people involved in the case, including prosecutors, police officers, and even some of the snitches.
One of the snitches featured in the film, Suzanne Savoie, has already served her 51-month sentence, and plans on attending a screening of the film at the Ashland Independent Film Festival in southern Oregon. Savoie bargained the lives of the non-cooperating defendants, Daniel McGowan, Jonathan Paul, Sadie, and Exile, as well as those who have yet to be apprehended by the government, for what amounted to a slightly lesser sentence. (Daniel McGowan received 84-months.) Savoie's cooperation deal is public knowledge and with her help, the state has locked away comrades who stared down multiple life sentences without betraying themselves, the others who were involved, and all of us who fight in resistance to the state and capitalism.
The film is favorable to Daniel, humanizing someone who the federal government calls an eco-terrorist and has shoved into a secretive prison unit known as a “Communications Management Unit,” and is also relatively sympathetic to the ELF. However, because the filmmakers are the good little liberals that they are, they treat Savoie as just another “voice” in the “conversation” they hoped that this “story” would generate. What's more, they invited this scum to attend a screening at the festival and plan on publicly acknowledging her in the audience during a Q & A.
It is beyond belief that Savoie would even consider going, considering what she's done, but perhaps she feels emboldened by the filmmakers invitation and hopes this can pave the way for her to return to the very movements that she has betrayed. The filmmakers have thus far refused to rescind the invitation, citing the usual liberal bullshit of "everybody having a voice in this story." Well, as revolutionaries, we cannot allow this snitch to try and reintegrate herself, because Suzanne Savoie has sided with our enemies and no longer has anything to say we want to hear. Additionally, our lives, and our movements of resistance are not “stories” that exist to help filmmakers gain accolades and prestige, but the actions of real people making real attempts to destroy all that which destroys us.
If you live in southern Oregon, or can get there, please think about attending or showing up outside of the film screenings to make sure that Suzanne Savoie and her stupid snitch ass do not feel welcome. Showtimes are Saturday, April 9th, @ 9:30am, Sunday, April 10th, @ 6:00pm, and if the film wins a prize, Monday, April 11th, @ 12 & 9pm.
In the meantime, if everyone could clue the filmmakers in to the VERY BIG MISTAKE THEY ARE MAKING by inviting and welcoming this snitch to their screening, that would also be very much appreciated. Here is the contact info for the directors:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/If-A-Tree-Falls-A-Story-of-the-Earth-Liber...
info@marshallcurry.com
info@yellowcakefilms.com
info@ifatreefallsfilm.com
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