EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF COP/FBI HARASSMENT OF CONFERENCE
Iwas attending a conference in Boca Raton, Florida, with such others as Animal Liberation Front, UK Green Anarchists, No Compromise, American Indian Movement, MOVE, Portland Liberation Collective, Syracuse Feminist Collective, Compassion over Killing/Fund for Animals, EarthFirst!, and numerous other groups from across the country. The conference was originally to be held at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. The organizers has rented space and clearly presented the theme of the conference, as well as its attendees, to the school.
The day before the conference was to begin, the school administration was contacted by the Orlando police, who informed the school that the groups attending were "known terrorist" groups with a very probable intent to commit violence while in the area. Predictably, the school denied the organizers any use of the campus. Space was then immediately rented in a public park and word spread about change of venue.
Friday afternoon, within hours of the arrival of attendees, two FBI agents showed up at the home of the primary organizer and presented him with information which had been intercepted from his email account. They insisted the conference was to be cancelled and no significant contact made between the groups slated to present. The organizer then asked if they could go to the park to inform everyone of the cancellation (for the evening at least) and try to arrange housing accommodations. The FBI agents agreed with the stipulation that one police officer and one park ranger would be present.
That Friday evening, conference attendees rolled into the park to find about 10 police cars, 30 local officers, a crime scene unit, a tactical unit, a canine unit, and several FBI agents. The first car pulled over was a van in which the Portland delegation had arrived (after driving for a week). The passengers were asked to get out of the car and sit down in dispersed places along the lawn. They were not allowed to move about or have contact with any of the other conference attendees which subsequently arrived, for more that three hours. The van was searched thoroughly with no arrests or apparent probable cause. When nothing was found the van was then gone over by various other agents and officers. All other cars of suspected "terrorists" were similarly pulled over and passengers were identified and questioned by both local police and FBI. In one case a representative of the American Indian Movement was told (in front of his nine year old daughter) that he would be shot on site if he did not keep his hands up as he was kept outside of his van.
Those of us that had arrived and were on foot witnessed this behavior for several hours as all conference participants were harassed and detained. We were told that we must leave the park (despite the fact that it was public property and we had rented pavilion space), and we were confined to a small knoll away from the road where others were being detained. We were repeatedly threatened with arrest if we left our "spot."
After quick thinking by those present, a videop;camera was ascertained and a police liaison was designated. While we collected badge numbers and took names and license plates, someone discreetly filmed the police searching the vehicles and was able to document the ridiculous number and variety of cops as well as their clearly harassing intentions.
By the graces of a few discreet sympathizers in the community we were able to arrange a meeting space for Saturday and Sunday, and the conference raged on, escaping the watchful eyes and ears of the FBI and their police puppets. And an amazing event it turned out to be!
Finally, in an attempt of at least symbolic retaliation and protest, we called a press conference at the Boca Raton police station Monday morning and staged a great demonstration on their turf. The press were so moved by our story they not only interviewed participants, but followed the organizers into the station to document complaints being filed and a police report being requested (which was, of course, not immediately available). A copy of the video footage of the Friday incident was then released to the press, who agreed that the film "bolstered our allegations of harassment 100%." The story then aired Monday night on NBC, CBS, Fox, and ABC news in Boca Raton.
The press then followed us to Bloomingdale's, where a loud and ill-received anti-fur protest was held.
The event did, in all, come to a very just conclusion for those involved. I am more convinced now, then ever in my life, of my civil duty to act against the state. It was, indeed, an eye opener.
Spring 1999-- NCX Home -- Archives -- Electrons to the Editor