No Secret that FBI Targets Occupy Activists: Official Policy

image
Author: Terri Harel
Published: 01 Jan, 2013
Updated: 13 Oct, 2022
2 min read
Photo: Occupy Wall Street // occupywallst.org

A recent find by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund revealed secret nationwide monitoring of the Occupy movement’s participants and organizers. While this is not of great surprise, this should alarm, not just Occupy activists, but Americans in general, particularly given the renewal of FISA, NDAA, and the overall conversation surrounding surveillance at the moment.

In particular, the distinct targeting of peaceful protestors reveals the broad scope with which the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and other government agencies define “threats.” The Occupy movement targets, specifically, corporate banking and not government agencies, entities, or departments. As such, the FBI’s focus on Occupy reveals their commitment to deterring peaceful protest against any corporate interest. As the Executive Director of PCJF, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard states,

“These documents show that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are treating protests against the corporate and banking structure of America as potential criminal and terrorist activity. These documents also show these federal agencies functioning as a de facto intelligence arm of Wall Street and Corporate America.”

That the FBI, DHS, and local police departments are acting as a “de facto” intelligence arm of Wall Street is not an accident or a secret, it is official policy. The Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) is a government-private sector partnership whose mission it is to symbiotically share intelligence with one another. The mission of DSAC is:

"The Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC), a strategic partnership between the FBI and the U.S. private sector, will enhance communications and promote the timely and effective exchange of information. The DSAC will advance the FBI mission in preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal acts, particularly those affecting interstate commerce, while advancing the ability of the U.S. private sector to protect its employees, assets, and proprietary information."

The agency seeks to satisfy the “growing need for information” in the post-9/11 environment. Its leadership board includes – surprise, surprise – American Express, Barclays, Mastercard, Walmart, Time Warner, Bank of American, and more and partners with over 200 private companies. These companies constitute 34% of GDP and 8.1% of U.S. employment, meaning the well-being of the American economy relies on meeting their expectations and complying with their interests.

What was uncovered in the documents is only a small percentage of communications in DSAC activity. Most of the papers are heavily redacted, making it difficult to estimate the true scope of the projects. Naomi Wolf of the Guardian rightly worries that these corporate-state partnerships aren’t mere “counterterrorism” efforts, but propagate stifling any social dissent.

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read