S.T.O.P. Condemns FBI Surveillance Of Portland Protests

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View this email in your browser For Immediate Release S.T.O.P. Condemns FBI Surveillance Of Portland Protests (New York, NY, 12/22/2021) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a privacy and civil rights group, condemns the FBI’s infiltration and surveillance of AntiFa protests in Portland, OR following President Biden’s inauguration. Plainclothes FBI officers stood shoulder to shoulder with protesters to secretly videotape the demonstrations and make arrests. The civil rights group condemned the surveillance tactics as an unconstitutional attack on Americans’ First Amendment rights. SEE: The New York Times – The F.B.I. Deployed Surveillance Teams Inside Portland Protests https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/22/us/portland-protests-fbi-surveillance.html “As usual, intelligence agencies treat dissent as a national security threat,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn. “We are sold surveillance with promises it will ‘safeguard democracy,’ but in the end, surveillance is one of democracy’s gravest threats. This is a stark reminder of the surveillance double standard: right-wing political groups are rarely surveilled, but progressive and anti-fascist groups are placed under constant watch.” Earlier this year, the civil rights group condemned federal law enforcement agencies for using facial recognition to track peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters. The announcement also comes as S.T.O.P. and Amnesty International continue their lawsuit against the NYPD to obtain NYPD records on its surveillance of last year’s historic Black Lives Matter protests. SEE: Press Release - S.T.O.P. Condemns G.A.O. Facial Recognition Findings, Calls For Ban https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2021/6/30/stop-condemns-gao-facial-recognition-findings-calls-for-ban Press Release - Amnesty International USA, S.T.O.P. Sue NYPD For BLM Surveillance Records https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2021/7/16/amnesty-international-usa-stop-sue-nypd-for-blm-surveillance-records The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color. -- END -- CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn Copyright © 2021 Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.