Category Archives: Black Lives Matter

An Ohio home of Black Lives Matter supporters was spray-painted on Aug. 20 with the words "All Lives Matter," according to security footage.

The house belongs to Mary and Ralph Piunno, who said this isn't the first time they have experienced negative reactions to their beliefs. The couple has multiple Black Lives Matter signs and flies a pride flag.

Primarily because I live in a diverse neighborhood, and I want people to know where I stand, Mary Piunno said.

COLORADO SCHOOL DISTRICT BANS TEACHING OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY

The couple removed the graffiti and called those responsible "very small-minded."

"I think that theyre people who have a very narrow view of what equality means in this country," Mary Piunno said. "Frankly, I think theyre losers. Theyre hurting their cause more than theyre hurting mine."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The couple said they respect everyone's right to free speech and expect more negative reactions to come from their signs.

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Black Lives Matter supporters' house spray-painted with the words 'All Lives Matter' - Washington Examiner

The aircraft watched protests in Washington, DC, in June last year and also flew over Baltimore in 2015 after Freddie Grays death.

Last updated on August 26, 2021, at 12:07 p.m. ET

Posted on August 24, 2021, at 1:08 p.m. ET

The FBI's Cessna Citation jet

An advanced FBI spy plane that was used to watch Black Lives Matter protests in Washington, DC, last year is now up for sale.

A listing for the Cessna Citation jet has appeared on a website run by the General Services Administration to sell surplus federal government property. The aircraft carries a Wescam MX-20 camera turret, which is designed for high-altitude, persistent surveillance. With infrared sensors, it can monitor targets day and night, and in recent years has been used for some of the FBIs most important surveillance missions.

In June 2020, a BuzzFeed News review of flight tracking data provided by the website Flightradar24 linked the plane to high-profile raids including the capture of gang members on drug and weapons charges in Northern California in 2018, drug trafficking busts in Puerto Rico in 2018 and 2019, and drug, firearms, and money laundering arrests in Alabama in 2019.

And though the FBI says it does not monitor activity protected by the First Amendment, BuzzFeed News also tracked the plane circling Washington, DC, in June 2020 during Black Lives Matter protests after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. We also found that the plane circled Baltimore in April and May 2015 following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries sustained in police custody.

This reporting was subsequently cited by three Democratic members of Congress in a letter to the federal Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, asking it to investigate federal government surveillance of Black Lives Matter protests.

Flights by the FBI's Cessna Citation jet last year from June 1 to 6

Since 2003, the Cessna Citation aircraft has been registered to the National Aircraft Leasing Corporation, identified as a front for the FBI by Matthew Aid, a former intelligence analyst, in his 2012 book Intel Wars. The address given in its registration with the Federal Aviation Administration is a UPS store in Greenville, Delaware.

Most of the FBIs fleet of more than 120 surveillance aircraft, similarly registered to fictitious companies, are smaller propeller-driven planes that usually fly at altitudes of around 5,000 feet. The Cessna Citation jet is the only aircraft of its type registered to known FBI fronts, and it typically watched its targets from 15,000 feet or more, making it harder to spot from the ground.

The contact given for questions about the sale is Earl McEwen, an FBI special agent who testified in court about using an FBI plane to surveil the 2014 Bundy standoff, an armed encounter between federal agents and supporters of a Nevada rancher who refused to pay fees for grazing his cattle on federal land.

McEwen declined to answer any questions about the aircraft sale from BuzzFeed News.

The FBI declined to answer queries raised by BuzzFeed News, including whether there would be restrictions placed on who they would sell the surveillance aircraft to and whether the jet is being replaced. It is unclear why the agency is now selling the plane.

Although the existence of its fleet of aircraft is well known, the FBI has revealed little information about individual planes and their activities. In 2016, the agency denied a Freedom of Information Act request from BuzzFeed News for flight and evidence logs from 27 of its planes, refusing even to confirm or deny whether the records existed. In September 2018, a federal judge ruled against our attempts to overturn that decision.

At the time of publication, no bids for the aircraft had yet been recorded on GSA Auctions, the website where the plane is listed for sale. The listing indicates that the plane is being sold with the Wescam MX-20, which could complicate the sale because it is deemed a sensitive technology covered by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which requires approval from the State Department before it can be exported. It is unclear what other equipment remains on the aircraft, although a photograph of the interior suggests that controls for the camera have been removed from the cabin.

The plane could continue to be used for surveillance. But some prospective buyers may be more interested in converting it into a private jet, currently in hot demand as the COVID pandemic has driven wealthy people away from airlines. Jets of that age and model can retail for $1.2 million, according to Albert Heidinger, president of Raptor Aviation, a company in Port St. Lucie, Florida, that sells aircraft including ex-military planes. But he said it was hard to say what a buyer would offer the FBI for the plane given the high costs of refitting it for use as a private jet.

This market is crazy, so no telling what it will actually bring, Heidinger said.

Aug. 26, 2021, at 16:08 PM

This story has been updated to include that the FBI declined to comment.

Here is the original post:

The FBI Is Selling A Surveillance Plane It Used On Black Lives Matter Protests - BuzzFeed News

Swimming star Ellie Simmonds believes reality television and the Black Lives Matter movement have each contributed to improving the image of the Paralympics.

Simmonds is preparing to lead her country into Tokyo 2020 after being chosen as one of Great Britains flagbearers for Tuesdays opening ceremony alongside archer John Stubbs.

The 26-year-old, who has bone growth disorder achondroplasia, will compete at her fourth Games having already won eight medals, including five golds, across appearances in Beijing, London and Rio.

She feels the perception of disability has changed significantly during that time, citing mainstream exposure of Para athletes and the rise of protest campaigns demanding equality as major factors.

Even before Beijing, people thought I was going to special Olympics; the Paralympics and disabilities were still under wraps really, said Simmonds, who was just 13 when she made her debut in China in 2008. People didnt really know what it was.

Disabilities and especially the Paralympics were brought into height in London 2012 and the Paralympic movement and disability has just crept up and its just amazing to see its been showcased and its amazing.

Its not just achondroplasia or different disabilities in sport but its also now in other things: you had Jonnie (Peacock), you had Lauren (Steadman), you had Will (Bayley) in Strictly (Come Dancing), you had Hollie (Arnold) in Im a Celebrity (Get Me Out of Here).

Theres so many athletes out there with disabilities in reality TV and thats so good for all different disabilities.

And not just in those types of reality TV (programmes) but seeing it on TV, so kids growing up are more aware that there are so many different people.

I think also weve seen the rise about it being OK to be different, the likes of Black Lives Matter, the acceptance of all that, the change, the protest and the awareness of there are so many different people out there.

Story continues

Simmonds arrived in Japan as defending champion in the 200m individual medley.

The S6 swimmer will bid for a third-successive title in that event on Thursday and is also scheduled to enter the 100m breaststroke and 400m freestyle.

She admits even the prospect of joining the exclusive list of British flagbearers made her teary eyed before being left speechless on Sunday when she received confirmation from chef de mission Penny Briscoe.

My performance director Chris (Furber) rang me before coming out to the holding camp into the (athletes) village and asked if I would like to be nominated, because every sport normally nominates an athlete who they think would like to carry the flag, she said.

I was just like, Oh my gosh, yes. I was driving hands-free, of course but really a bit teary to be honest.

Equestrian star Sir Lee Pearson was ParalympicsGBs flagbearer at Rio 2016 (Adam Davy/PA)

I was just a bit emotional that I even got asked because in the past, Ive seen the greats like Chris Hoy carrying the flag in London 2012 and Lee Pearson in the Paralympics and all those amazing athletes, who are great athletes and who have carried the flags the best of the best.

(When it was confirmed), I was just in awe and just didnt have any words. Its been a challenging year and to be carrying the flag for absolutely everyone, its just a huge honour.

Simmonds has established herself as one of the countrys most recognisable Paralympians during the past 13 years.

However, despite her vast experience and hefty haul of medals, she says the burden of competing at elite level is greater than ever.

As an older woman now, I feel the pressure more, I feel all those different aspects, Im more aware of that, she said.

Whereas as a 13-year-old, as a 17-year-old, you just do swimming, youre just doing it as sport where you dont really think of all the outside bits.

Im more aware of those types of challenges now and I work with the psychologist really well.

For me, these Games are just about going out there, racing, enjoying it, doing the best I can and just being happy and soaking it all in.

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Ellie Simmonds: Reality TV and Black Lives Matter help with image of Paralympics - Yahoo Sports

From running her own clothing brand to making moving about the challenges Caribbean people face, Fiona Compton is a woman of many talents and successes.

As a cultural ambassador representing NHC, the 39-year-old has spoken to MyLondons sister website 2Chill about the true meaning behind the festival.

The first time Fiona attended Notting Hill Carnival was in 2005, when she was only a spectator.

As somebody coming from the Caribbean islands to London, seeing my culture on this big platform but not being part of it was hard, she recalls.

I felt I could never do this again, standing behind this partition between myself and my culture, so I started by joining what we call bands where you wear customs, and then helping with the production processes.

Since then, Fiona has never missed a single year. She says: We compared it to Mecca. It's a rite of passage that you have to do every year. Its something like a reset button.

For people, especially those from the Caribbean diaspora, that one weekend of celebration or the week of events it leads up to is an absolutely precious time allowing them to reconnect to themselves, their extended Caribbean families and their culture.

One of the most powerful memories Fiona created for herself and the carnival community was the Not Asking For It movement she started in 2016.

She says: The Mayor of Trinidad made some very irresponsible comments after a masquerader was murdered in the heart of carnival in the country. He implied that the murder was helped because she wore a costume and people drunk alcohol.

Such comments blew up in a big way and inspired Fiona to start the initiative.

She adds: The essence of carnival is freedom. Its a sign of freedom of black people from the plantations, and a celebration of our ability to sing, dance and play the drum. For women to not feel safe in this space is the antithesis of what carnival means.

Dressing in different clothing whether its a fancy costume, t-shirt or a pair of jeans people spontaneously put on placards in front of their chests, with some reading not asking for it and how I dress does not mean yes in Fionas Not Asking For It section.

That day in 2016, she and her band performed at the judging point in the parade and took centre stage to showcase what they stood for: protecting women and creating a safe space for the community.

This collective voice of women and some men as well, coming together to share the same messages, moved Fiona.

To sit back and see people supporting that message was really beautiful, she says. It showed people that carnival was not just a place to come and get wasted, but it was also a community of empowerment, freedom and family.

As the carnival grew ever more prominent, so did the inclusion of commercial business. Music houses packed the street while news of big brand sponsorship splashed the front page.

When the fleeting moment of euphoria of Britishs Afro-Caribbean people celebrating the carnival diminishes, and many go back to leading quiet and segmented lives, carnivalists start to reflect on the true meaning of carnival today.

Fiona admits: There are certain moments in carnival where I feel that we are the minority in the very thing that we created. Commercialisation has taken over certain aspects of carnival. I dont see the mystique about NHC that many are attracted to the generation of 150million a year in London resonate back into the community.

Think designers who spend months making all kinds of costumes and steelpan orchestras who practise every week for the parade, these are not the people who are getting that money.

The carnival has changed in that sense, and it concerns me. We're starting to feel marginalised. People see less and less value in the masquerade, the creativity and artistry of craftsmanship. Theyre more interested in going to the sound systems or going to see particular DJs.

In the world of Snapchat and Instagram, where information is presented in ways that must grab attention in an instant, it might be hard for the young generation to engage in the more obscure, historical aspects of carnival, but Fiona believes there is a way to strike a balance between having fun at the festival and appreciating its roots.

She says: The essence of the carnival was informed by the enslaved who, on the plantations, were banned from playing the drums because it was illegal. Now you see people playing steel pan in the streets, and that in itself is resistance from oppression.

Everybody loves having Jerk chicken at the carnival, but some dont know that it exists because the enslaved Africans liberated themselves in the plantations, then went up into the mountains and developed the Jerk.

We took to the streets to sing and dance because our ancestors used to be despised as heathens and demons because of that.

Then our community went through a very volatile, George Floyd-like period in the 1950s and early 60s, people once again took to the streets to sing, dance. They also incorporated social and political commentaries while bringing joy to their lives.

Carnival is the ultimate Black Lives Matter march. Its a march that has existed for more than two centuries.

Its not that young people dont care about the essence of NHC, because in the past 18 months, we saw that they do care. Theres a need among young people to express themselves and be heard.

And thats what the carnival is about. If you know the history behind it, youd connect to it instantly.

Continued here:

Notting Hill Carnival is the ultimate Black Lives Matter march - My London

Afghan withdrawal completely bungledWhat in the world was he thinking? Or was he thinking at all?While Im certainly not an expert in military tactics, I think anyone of sound mind would know enough to remove the Americans and the Afghan allies (and as many women and girls) first, and then remove the troops after everyone was out safely.Of course, theres also the many gifts we left as well, like our tanks, munitions, helicopters, etc.Im sure the Taliban is grateful for our generosity, not to mention our stupidity!I fear we may have gone from bad to worse.Frances StauntonTroy

Black Lives Matter has racist undertoneRecently I went by a school that had a sign in front that said, BLACK LIVES MATTER.It struck me that I had been seeing this almost every day for at least a year now.Never once did I see GUAYANESE LIVES MATTER or PUERTO RICAN LIVES MATTER or WHITE LIVES MATTER or ASIAN LIVES MATTER.Yet I am sure this school teaches any one of these ethnicities.I find this behavior just as racist as what has happened to Black persons in history. Have we learned anything?A school which is supposed to be all inclusive is giving the message that only Black lives matter by only using that verbiage. I find this prejudicial and offensive.I wonder if this letter will be printed.Barbara McBrideSchenectady

Why does Stefanik let Trump off hook?Elise Stefanik has no business holding Andrew Cuomo accountable when she doesnt hold Donald Trump accountable for his abuse of women and his handling of COVID-19.Rita SmithSchenectady

America lives and dies by the BeastOnce it was OK when Washington led America. When individualism, states rights and the right of free/open speech without the real fear of reprisal truly existed.Washington led America, and the country was on fertile ground; the experiment in freedom was like a budding fruit tree in its first season of flowering. So much promise.That was when George Washington led us through victory in a revolutionary war that changed the world. But that time has long passed. Washington the Beast is now leading America.Washington the Beast leads America, and swamp creatures who could not make it in any other job run our states and our towns.Washington leads America, and we get dinosaurs that have spent their entire lives feeding off D.C. as our leaders. Washington leads America with a quick on ramp to central control and entry into the Club of World Marxism.But we cant seem to get off the dirt roads (a world away), where bodies lay broken and charred clinging to an idea.America, this IS the country you have voted for. The first American revolution was led by a Washington who was simply emblematic of Americans ideals of freedom. This American revolution is being led by the Beast. The slow drip of peoples attitudes divorced from freedom of responsibility is the new emblem of Americans whove surrendered their commitment to an ideal and have simply lost a gift.RIP America: youre not coming back and you aint gonna love your new leaders.John GentileDuanesburg

Why doesnt GOP also condemn TrumpIn response to Clair Pelletier-Hoblocks Aug. 21 letter (Stefanik is holding Cuomo accountable,), I must ask if you call Andrew Cuomo to the carpet for his dastardly deeds, which he denies are true, how can you not call the much more despicable Donald Trump to your moral carpet along with Elise Stefanik?As a member of the GOP, she betrayed her supposed moral beliefs.As I sit in the white color of my beloved flag, I condemn both Cuomo and Trump for their evil doings.After the Cuomo investigation, most Democrats and Republicans called for Cuomos resignation.After the Trump investigation, no Republicans called for Trumps resignation.Ten GOP members, following their moral beliefs, voted to impeach President Trump, crossing party lines. Evidently, by actions of most GOP members, they are not the moral right. They are the moral wrong. Shame on them.Ive watched for 55 years the policy trends of both parties and believe we have never been a true democracy, but instead became an oligarchy after World War II.I may have to fly my flag upside-down to indicate the direction this country is headed. We are supposed to be a democratic republic where the common people are watched over, not big business and the wealthy.Jeff PelkyBroadalbin

Police should check for criminal activityI read the Aug. 19 article in your paper (Cops called on woman campaigning) with some interest, as several years ago when I was running for elected office in my town, I had a similar thing happen to me.I was going door to door to introduce myself to town residents, and while doing so, I was stopped by a local police officer who inquired what I was doing.Now I am an over-60-year-old white male, so my life experiences are certainly different from this woman in that article. I didnt think much of this encounter, and in fact was rather pleased to realize that the police are diligently doing their jobs and asking questions of potentially suspicious persons when required.I guess my point is that every encounter with the police is not to needlessly harass someone, be they a member of a minority group or otherwise going about their legal business, but is to ascertain that criminal activity is not occurring or about to occur.Tom McGarryNiskayuna

Exercise peace over verbal retaliationOne day after the pandemic lockdown, I attended a focus group about a marketing campaign set to launch later this year, 2021.The hosts had expressed complaints similar to social media content creators. They wanted our assistance in finding resolutions.At the end of that focus group, all participants were allowed one last closing question. I asked one of the moderators: Why doesnt the company just start a platform that will rival existing social media platforms?My question was never answered that day. But in the months to come, verbal attacks on my character grew from typical hate by some people online, to me becoming public enemy number one.A source shared the intense conversations about me that are circulating between people through emails and private messenger chats.A lack of clarity has turned sparks into forest fires that may burn in the spirits of some people for days to come. There is a global responsibility people have that is to exercise peace. I dont retaliate with divisive words. Peace, be still and effective.Kurtis MillerSchenectady

Biden chose easy over common sense

We may not admire his wisdom, but we must admire President Bidens chutzpah for cutting short his vacation time and addressing the situation in Afghanistan.Yes, it would always have been difficult. But if you are a powerful country, do you not follow rules of common sense? First, we remove all the men, women and children who are American citizens. Second, we remove the people who worked with us and are now in danger. To do this we must hold the air base, the equipment and the men and women in the armed services to complete this operation. Third we remove our equipment. The base is still open so while a great endeavor, it is possible. Then we close the embassy, take down our flag and fly the remaining personnel home. He did it in reverse, whatever was easiest.Geraldine KrawitzSaratoga Springs

Hall & Oates music, wife aging beautifullyOn March 4, 1974, I took my beautiful girlfriend, Laura, to a Bee Gees concert at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, New York City.The opening act was a young duo named Hall and Oates. I remember them singing Sara Smile, an early hit. Forty-seven years and many hits later, on Aug. 15, Laura and I saw Hall and Oates again at SPAC in Saratoga. They sang Sara Smile again and Laura is more beautiful than ever. Its good to know that some things not only endure but get better with time.Rich AngehrSchenectady

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Letters to the Editor Saturday, Aug. 28 - The Daily Gazette

Black Lives Matter Movement

In 2013, three female Black organizers Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created a Black-centered political will and movement building project calledBlack Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter beganwith a social media hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martinback in 2012. The movement grew nationallyin 2014 after the deaths of Michael Brown in Missouri and Eric Garner in New York. Since then it has established itself as a worldwidemovement, particularly after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, MN. Most recently, #Black Lives Matter has spearheaded demonstrations worldwide protesting police brutality and systematic racism that overwhelmingly effects the Black community.

According to the Black Lives Matterwebsite theywere "founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martins murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives."

BLM's #WhatMatters2020 Campaign: This 2020 Election-focused campaign focuses on promoting voter registration "among Millennials, Generation Z, the Black community, and allies" and education voters about a wide range of issues including "racial injustice, police brutality, criminal justice reform, Black immigration, economic injustice, LGBTQIA+ and human rights, environmental injustice, access to healthcare, access to quality education, and voting rights and suppression."

Local BLM Chapters: Local chapters of BLM in many areas of the country, including theDMV,have their own social media accounts to facilitate engagement in civil action close to home.

Follow Black Lives Matter onTwitter,FacebookandInstagram

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The Black Lives Matter Movement - A Brief History of Civil ...

The federal government deliberately targeted Black Lives Matter protesters via heavy-handed criminal prosecutions in an attempt to disrupt and discourage the global movement that swept the nation and beyond last summer after the Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, according to a new report.

Movement leaders and experts said the prosecution of protesters over the past year continued a century-long practice by the federal government, rooted in structural racism, to suppress Black social movements via the use of surveillance tactics and other mechanisms.

The report was released by the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 50 activism and advocacy civil rights groups and professional associations representing Black communities and published in partnership with the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability and Responsibility (Clear) clinic at City University of New York (Cuny) School of Law.

The empirical data and findings in this report largely corroborate what Black organizers have long known intellectually, intuitively, and from lived experience about the federal governments disparate policing and prosecution of racial justice protests and related activity, the report stated.

The report, which was first shared with the Associated Press, argues that as the uprisings in the summer of 2020 increased, so did police presence, the deployment of federal agents and prosecution of protesters.

Titled Struggle For Power: The Ongoing Persecution of Black Movement By The US Government, the report details how policing has been used historically as a major tool to deter Black people from engaging in their right to protest, and to weaken efforts to draw attention to issues affecting Black Americans.

It also draws a comparison to how the government used counter-intelligence program techniques to disrupt the work of the Black Panther Party and other organizations fighting for Black liberation.

We want to really show how the US government has continued to persecute the Black movement by surveillance, by criminalizing protests, and by using the criminal legal system to prevent people from protesting and punishing them for being engaged in protests by attempting to curtail their first amendment rights, said Amara Enyia, the Movement for Black Lives policy research coordinator.

It is undeniable that racism plays a role, Enyia said. It is structurally built into the fabric of this country and its institutions, which is why its been so difficult to eradicate. Its based on institutions that were designed around racism and around the devaluing of Black people and the devaluing of Black lives.

In the report, the Movement for Black Lives calls for amnesty for all protesters involved in the nationwide protests.

The group, also known as M4BL, is demanding reparations from the government that include an acknowledgment and an apology for the long history of targeting movements in support of Black life and Black liberation.

It also is pushing for passage of the Breathe Act, proposed federal legislation that would radically transform the countrys criminal justice system, and ending the use of joint terrorism taskforces in local communities.

The report also points to the stark difference in how the government handled the Covid-19 protests against local government shutdowns and mask mandates amid the pandemic during the same period.

It analyzes 326 criminal cases initiated by US federal prosecutors over alleged conduct related to protests in the wake of Floyds murder and the police killings of other Black Americans, from31 May 2020 to 25 October 2020.

A key finding of the report is that the push to use federal charges against protesters came from top-down directives from Donald Trump and the former attorney general William Barr.

M4BL and Clear found that in 92.6% of the cases, there were equivalent state-level charges that could have been brought against defendants, mostly with less severe potential sentences.

We saw Barr overnight go from expressing some level of sympathy for racial justice protesters to labeling them as radical and violent agitators with absolutely no basis for that sort of characterization, said Ramzi Kassem, founding director of Clear and a law professor at CUNY, adding that it was very transparently aimed at disrupting a Black-led movement for social justice that was happening both spontaneously and in an organized fashion nationwide.

Race data was only available for 27%, or 89, of the defendants. Of that number, 52% were identified as Black. Of the Black defendants, 91% were identified as male.

Portland, Oregon, led in the number of charges brought for protest-related activity, making up 29% of federal charges. Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, and Minneapolis followed.

Read the rest here:

US targeted Black Lives Matter activists in bid to disrupt movement, report finds - The Guardian

The federal government deliberately targeted Black Lives Matter protesters via heavy-handed criminal prosecutions in an attempt to disrupt and discourage the global movement, according to a new report. David Goldman/AP hide caption

The federal government deliberately targeted Black Lives Matter protesters via heavy-handed criminal prosecutions in an attempt to disrupt and discourage the global movement, according to a new report.

The federal government deliberately targeted Black Lives Matter protesters via heavy-handed criminal prosecutions in an attempt to disrupt and discourage the global movement that swept the nation last summer in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, according to a new report released Wednesday by The Movement for Black Lives.

Movement leaders and experts said the prosecution of protesters over the past year continues a century-long practice by the federal government, rooted in structural racism, to suppress Black social movements via the use of surveillance tactics and other mechanisms.

"The empirical data and findings in this report largely corroborate what Black organizers have long known intellectually, intuitively, and from lived experience about the federal government's disparate policing and prosecution of racial justice protests and related activity," the report stated.

The report, which was first shared with The Associated Press, argues that as the uprisings in the summer of 2020 increased, so did police presence, the deployment of federal agents and prosecution of protesters.

Titled "Struggle For Power: The Ongoing Persecution of Black Movement By The U.S. Government," the report details how policing has been used historically as a major tool to deter Black people from engaging in their right to protest and weaken efforts to draw attention to issues impacting Black Americans. It also drew a comparison to how the government used Counterintelligence Program techniques to "disrupt the work of the Black Panther Party and other organizations fighting for Black liberation."

Demonstrators protest near the White House over the death of George Floyd. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

Demonstrators protest near the White House over the death of George Floyd.

"We want to really show how the U.S. government has continued to persecute the Black movement by surveillance, by criminalizing protests, and by using the criminal legal system to prevent people from protesting and punishing them for being engaged in protests by attempting to curtail their First Amendment rights," said Amara Enyia, The Movement for Black Lives' policy research coordinator.

"It is undeniable that racism plays a role," Enyia said. "It is structurally built into the fabric of this country and its institutions, which is why it's been so difficult to eradicate. It's based on institutions that were designed around racism and around the devaluing of Black people and the devaluing of Black lives."

In the report, published in partnership with the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility clinic at City University of New York School of Law, The Movement for Black Lives is calling for amnesty for all protesters involved in the nationwide protests.

The group, also known as M4BL, is demanding reparations from the government that includes an acknowledgment and an apology for the long history of targeting movements "in support of Black life and Black liberation." It also is pushing for passage of the BREATHE Act, proposed federal legislation that would radically transform the nation's criminal justice system, and ending the use of Joint Terrorism Task Forces in local communities.

The report also points to the stark difference in how the government handled the COVID-19 protests against local government shutdowns and mask mandates amid the pandemic during the same period. It analyzes 326 criminal cases initiated by U.S. federal prosecutors over alleged conduct related to protests in the wake of Floyd's murder and the police killings of other Black Americans, from May 31, 2020, to Oct. 25, 2020.

Demonstrators march in honor of George Floyd on Ashland Avenue in Chicago. Nam Y. Huh/AP hide caption

Demonstrators march in honor of George Floyd on Ashland Avenue in Chicago.

A key finding of the report was that the push to use federal charges against protesters came from top-down directives from former President Donald Trump and former Attorney General William Barr. M4BL and the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility clinic, also known as CLEAR, found that in 92.6% of the cases, there were equivalent state level charges that could have been brought against defendants.

Among those cases where comparable state level charges could have been brought, 88% of the federal criminal charges carried more severe potential sentences than the equivalent state criminal charges for the same or similar conduct.

"We saw U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr overnight go from expressing some level of sympathy for racial justice protesters to labeling them as radical and violent agitators with absolutely no basis for that sort of characterization," said Ramzi Kassem, founding director of CLEAR and a law professor at the City University of New York, adding that Barr and Trump used the arrests and prosecutions to justify the "hostile rhetoric" aimed at protesters. "All of this was very transparently aimed at disrupting a Black-led movement for social justice that was happening both spontaneously and in an organized fashion nationwide."

Race data was only available for 27%, or 89 of the defendants. And of that number, 52% were identified as Black. Of the Black defendants, 91% were identified as male.

"The known proportion of Black defendants compared to the proportion of Black people in the United States, per the latest census data, indicates that Black defendants were dramatically overrepresented," the report stated.

Seventy-two cases, or 22.1%, involved charges with mandatory minimum sentences. And 67 cases, or 20.6%, involved offenses where defendants are alleged to "have attempted, conspired, or aided and abetted an underlying crime without having actually committed the underlying criminal conduct."

Portland, Oregon, led in the number of charges brought for protest-related activity, making up 29% of federal charges. Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis followed.

Richard Wallace, founder of Equity and Transformation in Chicago, said over the past summer he witnessed overly aggressive policing by law enforcement officers who levied accusations of rioting and looting at protesters who were peacefully protesting. Wallace said he is deeply concerned for those who have been charged.

"Coming from Chicago, where (Black Panther Party leader) Fred Hampton was killed and where, Martin Luther King came and said this is one of the most segregated cities he ever saw, we have a very keen historic lens as it relates to state violence, and Black movement," said Wallace, whose organization, also known as EAT, was founded by and for formerly incarcerated and marginalized Black people and focuses on individuals who operate within the informal economy.

"What we saw in Illinois and across the country was this reverberation of Black power. And so, at all costs, the state is about dismantling that right, dismantling that in every possible way," he said.

The report also raises concerns about the involvement of Joint Terrorism Task Forces and found 20 cases that explicitly referenced task force involvement. The government "greatly exaggerated" the threat of violence from protesters, the report says.

Makia Green, a liberation organizer and co-conductor of the Washington D.C.-based group Harriet's Wildest Dreams, fully supports the report's findings and calls for action. Green believes President Joe Biden needs to fulfill his campaign pledges of supporting Black Americans and addressing the root causes of white supremacy, by pushing for amnesty for protesters. Green said Congress also needs to support legislation to overhaul the criminal justice system.

"Regardless of how we are often painted, activists are people who have the audacity to believe that we can live in a better world, where people are safe, where people are not afraid of being murdered by the police," Green said. "There are attempts to stifle our movement but it is truly a reflection to our supporters, to our allies, and to the folks who showed up in the streets last year, of how beautiful and powerful this movement is."

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Feds Deliberately Targeted Black Lives Matter Protesters, A Report Says - NPR

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The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against Home Depot, accusing the retailer of discriminating against a Minneapolis store employee who raised issues of racial harassment with coworkers and managers and displayed a Black Lives Matterslogan on his apron.

HOME DEPOT'S EARLY RELEASE OF HALLOWEEN PRODUCTS SOLD OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY

According to the complaint, the worker began wearing the Black Lives Matter logo in August 2020. The complaint notes that, sometime this year, Home Depot gave the employee the ultimatum of either removing the Black Lives Matter logo or quitting. The employee refused to remove the logo, which lead to his suspension.

The complaint further alleges Home Depot "threatened employees with unspecified consequences if they engaged in protected concerted activities regarding racial harassment."

NLRB Regional director JenniferHadsall said in a statement that issues of racial harassment "directly impact the working conditions of employees"

"The NLRA protects employees rights to raise these issues with the goal of improving their working conditions,"she added. "It is this important right we seek to protect in this case."

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A spokesperson for Home Depot told FOX Business the NLRB complaint "misrepresents the relevant facts."

"The Home Depot does not tolerate workplace harassment of any kind and takes all reports of discrimination or harassment seriously, as we did in this case,"the retailer said. "We disagree with the characterization of this situation and look forward to sharing the facts during the NLRBs process.Regardless of the outcome, we will continue to be fully committed to diversity and respect for all people."

A hearing on the allegations against Home Depot will be held over Zoom on Oct. 4.

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NLRB accuses Home Depot of forcing employee wearing Black Lives Matter logo on apron to quit - Fox Business

The artist responsible for a Quebec City mural in honour of Black lives says the piece being vandalized in such a short time reinforces its importance and relevance.

Two new street art pieces a fresco reading "Les Vies des Noire.e.s comptent", or Black Lives Matter, stretching a full city block in the Saint-Roch neighbourhood, and a collage of photographs depicting people of several races standing in solidarity with Black people in the Saint-Jean Baptiste neighbourhood were inaugurated Monday.

By Wednesday, the collage was defaced with graffiti reading "kebe-quoi?" scrawled across it, with "quoi?" spelled as the French word for "what?"

"I found this particularly difficult for the people who were photographed," said artist Wartin Pantois. "For me it was an act of intolerance."

Michelle Osbourne, one of the people pictured in the mural, said she wasn't surprised the art was defaced. But she's still hurt by its message that people of colour aren't welcome.

"Some people might just see it as graffiti, but it's not," she said."It's tough waking up every day feeling hated for existing."

Osbourne, who's lived in Quebec City for seven years, says she's going to keep fighting, because she doesn't want her daughter, who she plans to raise in the city, see her give up.

"I'm disappointed because we sent a message of solidarity and justice," said Mba-Hadji Mbarewaye, the founder of a collective of five organizations that came together to create the two pieces.

Mbarewaye said he was surprised by how quickly the art was defaced, and that it sends the message that Black people in the city should shut up and suffer in silence, but they will not.

Quebec City police say they received a complaint about the vandalism around 7 p.m. Wednesday.Officers also found graffiti with the same wording on Parvis Street and Fleury Street.

The incidents are being investigated.

Osbourne said she was "humbled, honoured and grateful," to have been included in the project, especially because she sees it as ahistoric piece that would not have happened when she first moved to the city.

"As someone who's had a really difficult time being an anglophone in Quebec City, it makes me so proud," she said.

The collective Mbarewaye started came together in response to a lack of recognition from city officials and police officers of systemic racism.

"There is some concern about us here in Quebec City, especially about racial profiling," Mbarewaye said. "The police service and elected officials in Quebec City don't like to talk about this problem."

He said he's not blaming all police officers, but he's calling for systemic change.

Breakaway11:22Black Lives Matter art installations in Quebec City

In an email earlier this week, the Quebec City police service wrote it does not consider there to be a systemic racism problem within its ranks.

Spokesperson David Pelletier wrote there are hundreds of employees within the SPVQ, which reflects Quebec society, and the organization is paying attention to this issue.

He wrote that officers are trained in what they call a cultural context, which addresses racial profiling.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.

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Artist and organizers shocked as Black Lives Matter mural in Quebec City defaced in just 3 days - CBC.ca