May 24th 2017, police in the Bay Area raided two
houses and arrested one person in connection to the recent protests in
Berkeley California. In this moment of increasing state repression, we
must be vigilant in protecting ourselves, each other, and our
communities.Never speak to the police. Remember that any response can
incriminate you and others. You have a right to remain silent, but not
to lie – even to say “I don’t know.” Better responses are “I have
nothing to say to you.” or “No comment.” We recommend practicing how to
respond to emergency situations such as raids where police are
particularly threatening and nefarious about getting you to speak to
them.
Share this information with friends and housemates, particularly
those who are intimately tied to political communities but are not that
involved or invested in them. These are often the people the state
targets to get information on wider activist communities.
Political repression in any form has the common purpose of
undermining our movements as a whole, even when it seems particular
individuals are the targets. Therefore it is extremely important that we
all get prepared for further repression. We do this by supporting each
other in remaining calm and brushing up on some basic know-your-rights
information as well as being mindful of how we communicate on the
internet.Here are some links with helpful info to get you started:
If an Agent Knocks
This booklet is the best know-your-rights manual to dealing with law
enforcement encounters that we’ve come across. Although it was written
for how to handle encounters with federal agents, the information is
just as useful in situations with local police. The first chapter, which
is only 8 pages, covers law enforcement visits and searches. The
booklet also covers state infiltration, surveillance, grand jury
resistance, and special considerations for non citizens.Time to Beef up Defense Against Far-Right Doxxing
Now that there’s a far right, internet-based movement growing in
this country, we have to deal with attacks on two fronts: the state, and
the far right. The alt-right might put you on the radar to the state
and/ vis versa. If our personal information is available online, the alt
right can find you and “doxx” you, meaning they publicize your name,
address, phone number and your family members’ names, addresses and
phone numbers for the purpose of harassing and intimidating you. Below
is an article with tips on preventing this from happening, along with a
list of websites that the alt-right uses to uncover people’s sensitive,
personal information.Security in a Box – Digital security tools and tactics
The state can and does monitor activists’ communication and internet
activity. This website is an excellent resource for giving you
step-by-step guides to encrypting and securing your various devices and
computer operating systems. It also goes over encrypting email.Resisting Grand Juries
With resistance comes repression and unfortunately often repression
leads to more repression. We can help damage control this by always
refusing to talk to law enforcement. Sometimes investigations result in
grand juries. It is important to be prepared to remain silent if
subpeoned to a grand jury. We should all prepare ourselves to support
those who refuse to testify. This website has tons of information on
grand juries, how they work, and the importance of resisting them. We
particularly recommend reading the “Statement of Resistance” written by a
collective of folks from various movements in the Bay Area and endorsed
by dozens of groups, political prisoners, and former grand jury
resisters.Lastly, if you or anyone you know has been approached by law enforcement or has been visited at their homes or jobs please contact the National Lawyers Guild at 415-285-1011 to access legal advice, resources, and support.
Solidarity is our best weapon in the face of repression. Lets use it!
When they Knock on your Front Door: Preparing for Repression – It’s Going Down
The Carving Witch 