Federal Grand Jury
Rick Sindel, Denise Lieberman
The ACLU of Eastern Missouri represented three young Missouri
activists who were questioned, put under surveillance and subpoenaed in
the days leading up to the Democratic National Convention this summer.
Chris Scheets, Ben Garrett and Daniel Coate of Kirksville, Missouri
were trailed by the FBI in the weeks preceding this summer's
conventions in Boston and New York. The young men, who have no history
of violent activity, were subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand
jury on July 29, which prevented them from traveling to Boston to
protest the convention as they had planned.
The men had been active in a variety of political protest movements,
including opposing the war, corporate power, anti-globalization,
environmental issues and other political causes. The three, who
self-identify as anarchists, were shown lists of other activists when
questioned by the FBI and believe their political activism spurred the
scrutiny they received. These young men were singled out by the Joint
Terrorism Task Force because of their involvement in political protest
and social dissent.
Scheets, who is 20, first realized he was under investigation when
FBI agents visited the home of his parents in Jacksonville, Illinois.
FBI agents also contacted the parents of Coate, 22, and Garrett, 24.
Agents then visited each of the three men, asking them questions about
their protest activities and the activities of others intending to
protest at the Conventions. After the three had arrived in St. Louis in
preparation to travel to Boston for the convention protest, they found
themselves under obvious surveillance. For the next four days, at least
three unmarked cars were parked at all times in front of the house
where they were staying. In addition, the three men, as well as the
house’s occupants and visitors, all reported being trailed by FBI
agents every time they ventured outside. Several cars trailed the men
to the ACLU's St. Louis office when they came for a client meeting.
"We felt trapped in St. Louis because of the FBI’s obvious
intimidation tactics," said Scheets. "We were afraid to talk to anybody
or do anything because we didn’t want the FBI to subject our friends
and family to the same kind of harassment that we were experiencing."
The surveillance stopped after the three appeared before the grand
jury.
"We strongly feel that what happened to us is another example of the
government using fear tactics to stifle political and social dissent,
which is totally unacceptable in a democratic society," Scheets said.
Anthony D. Romero, ACLU's National Executive Director, agreed: "The
FBI’s intimidation and interrogation of peaceful protesters brings back
eerie echoes of the days of J. Edgar Hoover," he said. "Resources and
funds established to fight terrorism should not be misused to target
innocent Americans who have done nothing more than engage in lawful
protest and dissent."
Nationally, the ACLU worked in New York and Boston to protect
Americans' fundamental rights to protest at the Republican and
Democratic National Conventions and other protests. The ACLU closely
monitors police tactics and has continued to fight for the rights of
protesters to assemble, speak and be treated fairly by authorities.
For more information, see ACLU Denounces FBI Tactics Targeting Political Protesters
Legal Documents
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