FBI and DHS Sued For Monitoring Suspected Terrorists

The FBI and DHS are being sued for monitoring suspected terrorists in Black Lives Matter.

FBI and DHS Sued For Monitoring Suspected Terrorists

Black Lives Matter is suing the FBI and Department of Homeland Security after the agencies failed to release surveillance documents that may not exist.

In July the Movement For Black Lives, which is a coalition of Black Lives Matter groups throughout the county, requested that the FBI and Homeland Security release all of their documents about secret surveillance of the group’s illegal protests. July is the same month in which the Dallas terrorist attack on law enforcement happened at a Black Lives Matter march. The DHS said that after a search, they couldn’t find any documents that matched what the Black Lives Matter group was asking for. The FBI hasn’t done anything except acknowledge the request. There’s no evidence that either organization performed any surveillance on the group.

Black Lives Matter appeared intent on suing the government for monitoring them after the police officers were killed during a Black Lives Matter march. Despite no known evidence that the agencies are monitoring Black Lives Matter, the anti-police group decided that they must be withholding secret documents and they are now suing for the release of those documents.

In a statement, Brandi Collins, campaign director at Color Of Change said:

“Government is supposed to protect our rights, not suppress our freedom—and yet for decades we’ve seen our government engage in a number of illegal surveillance practices that do just that. Despite their denials, it is clear the Department of Homeland Security and FBI are continuing their disturbing legacy of employing secretive surveillance tactics with murky legal parameters to chill the Movement for Black Lives, along the way targeting individuals in a number of terrifying ways.”

Even if law enforcement is monitoring the groups, it’s not clear how it would be a violation of their rights for the government to track illegal protests by the extremists. Multiple Black Lives Matter “protests” have devolved into mass rioting with violence and property destruction. It’s the job of law enforcement to monitor these situations to make sure that they aren’t caught unaware by any violent outbreaks.

An excerpt from the lawsuit explains their rational and states, “Monitoring MBL’s legitimate protest activities with the same surveillance methods used to target and disrupt potential terrorists undermines the First Amendment’s robust protection of political speech. Specifically, Defendants’ surveillance and monitoring practices chill valuable public debate about police violence, including the use of deadly force, criminal justice, and racial inequities.”

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