Security

The bare truth is that we live in a surveillance state that is unparalleled. Many people are legitimately worried or afraid. But this fear can become paranoia and paralysis. As a result, some will not get involved in radical activism. Others will stay involved, but their paranoia will create a stifling atmosphere and drive people away. Result? Our movements die. This outcome works perfectly for those in power. Without wanting to, our fear and paranoia can end up doing the work of the state that wants to shut our movements down.

But Security Culture – a simple set of rules anyone can follow – reduces paranoia and fear, and makes us safer so that we can do our work effectively.

 What is Security Culture?

 • A culture where people know their rights and assert them.

• A way to make political communities safer.

• An intelligent response to current and past repression.

• A way to reduce paranoia through simple rules.

• Security Culture is critical to all aboveground movements.

Security Culture Rules

 Don’t Talk About

• Your involvement or someone else’s involvement with an underground group.

• Your or someone else’s desire to get involved with such a group.

• Your or someone else’s participation in illegal action.

• Someone else’s advocacy for such actions.

• Your or someone else’s plans for a future illegal action.

• Don’t ask others if they are a member of an underground group.

• Don’t talk about illegal actions in terms of specific times, people, places, etc.

Nonviolent civil disobedience is illegal, but can sometimes be discussed openly if it is aboveground. In general, the specifics of nonviolent civil disobedience should be discussed only with people who will be involved in the action or those doing support work for them.

It’s still acceptable (even encouraged) to speak out generally in support of monkeywrenching and all forms of resistance as long as you don’t mention specific places, people, times etc. But only if this is legal in your own jurisdiction. Even if voicing support for monkeywrenching is legal in your area, be aware of possible repression or consequences so you can make an informed decision about what level of risk you would like to take or not.

 Never Talk to Police Officers, FBI etc.

Train yourself, other activists, and your friends on these guidelines.

• It doesn’t matter whether you are guilty or innocent. It doesn’t matter how smart you are. Never talk to Police Officers, FBI, Homeland Security, etc. It doesn’t matter if you believe you are telling Police Officers what they already know. It doesn’t matter if you just chit chat with Police Officers. Any talking to Police Officers, FBI, etc. will almost certainly harm you or others.

• If you talk to a Police Officer, you give him or her the opportunity to testify against you based on what you said or what they say you said.

• Don’t talk to Police Officers, federal agents, or intelligence officers at all about anything. Simply and politely say you wish to remain silent. Ask if you are being detained or are under arrest. If you are not, then walk away. If you are arrested or detained, repeat to everyone who asks you that you wish to remain silent and that you wish to speak to a lawyer. Say nothing else but your name, address, and birth date.

• Most convictions, whether people are guilty or not, come from people talking, not from investigative work.

• Learn about interrogation tricks and threats.

• Watch Don’t Talk to Cops – Part I and Don’t Talk to Cops – Part II on YouTube.

Never Allow a Police Officer, FBI etc Into Your Home if They Don’t Have a Search Warrant

• If you invite a Police Officer into your home, they have consent to search your home.

• If they come to your house to ask questions, do not let them in. From inside your door, or from outside with your door shut behind you, politely say “I wish to remain silent.” Ask them if you are under arrest or if they have a search warrant. If they say no, go back inside your house and close your door politely. If they come in anyway, don’t resist arrest. Say “I do not consent to a search.” Take note of who they are and what they do.

Be Smart

– learn the laws in your country/state/jurisdiction: learn what you can and can’t say; learn what acts are legal and illegal; learn what previous activists have been tried for and what is permitted legally.

– find out the details of activist and protest lawyers/legal advocates in your area: if you go on an action, make sure you write their telephone number on your body in a permanent marker.

– link in with experienced activists: they will have a wealth of experience and knowledge about the landscape of activism where you are, and can teach you what are the local logistics and strategies for staying safe as obviously we cannot advise globally.

Myths of Security Culture

 Myth # 1

“Hiding my identity aboveground makes me safe.”

“If I read the DGR website I will be on a government list.”

“I don’t want my name on a registration list for a DGR workshop so they won’t know who I am.”

• Any action involves risk. Nothing can guarantee safety. Any effective aboveground action can lead to repression. But security culture makes us more effective.

• Aboveground movements protect themselves almost exclusively through numbers and public solidarity.

• There is no way to effectively do aboveground work and keep your identity hidden. Nor is it beneficial or necessary to hide your identity to do aboveground work.

• Aboveground movements can only build numbers and public solidarity by being public, open, and expressing support of the movement in order to attract others.

• Operate on the assumption that all internet and phone communication is monitored. However, since aboveground movements have nothing to hide, except occasional nonviolent civil disobedience, we must use the internet and phones to communicate in order to be able to organize effectively.

• One of the main roles of the Aboveground is to be the public face of the movement. We stand publicly and say “I support this strategy and I advocate for DGR,” for example. This important work cannot be done if we are constantly trying to hide our identities.

• There are perfectly legitimate reasons for wanting to keep a low profile. But hiding your identity completely while engaging with any movement is practically impossible. If you have reason to not want attention from the government, (for example, if you are not a citizen), then the best way to be as safe as possible is to not engage with any movement.

Myth # 2

“We have to identify the fed or Police Officer or infiltrator etc. in the group”

• It’s not safe or a good idea to generally speculate or accuse people of being infiltrators This is a typical tactic that infiltrators use to shut movements down.

• Paranoia can be a destructive behavior.

• False/uncertain accusations are dangerous: These are called “bad-jacketing” or “snitch-jacketing.” These terms refer to a tactic used by Cointelpro agents to frame a member or members of a group as secret federal agents in the eyes of other members of the group. This is one way the FBI divided and disrupted the Black Panthers, by splitting them into factions that sometimes ended up killing each other because of bad-jacketing.

Myth # 3

“Police Officers have to identify themselves. Police Officers can’t lie to you.”

• Old and persistent myth, but wrong.

• Undercover infiltrators could not do their job if they had to identify themselves.

• Police Officers are legally allowed to lie to people – and do so routinely – to encourage compliance, both on the street and especially in interrogation. Police Officers and other agents also present false evidence, including pictures, video, and audio to trick people into talking about other people.

• Government agents of all kinds can threaten you, your family, and your friends. The best defense is to not talk, not believe them, not cooperate, and ask others for help. Don’t panic.

Myth # 4

“Security cultures guarantees my safety.”

• Security culture makes you safer, but any effective action can lead to repression.

• Nothing can guarantee safety, but security culture makes us more effective.

• Strict separation between the Aboveground and any Underground that exists or may come to exist helps protect people.

Security Culture Breaches

Behavior, Not People, is the Problem

* There are many behaviors that can disrupt groups or make them unsafe. Whether someone is a cop or not does not matter. Address the behaviors.

* Sexism, abusive behavior, gossip, creating conflict between individuals or groups, were all tactics used by COINTELPRO and informers.

What to Do if there are Breaches of Security Culture

• Educate (tactfully and privately) and point them to further resources.

• Don’t let violations pass or become habit.

• Chronic violators act as unwitting agents. It’s important and necessary to set boundaries. If a member consistently violates security culture, even after being corrected, for the safety of all, they should be told to leave the group and organizing spaces.

 Questions?

The following documents are a must read for any activist and are required reading for any DGR activist. The most important thing anyone can do to be safer, besides never talking to a Police Officer, is to educate themselves on their rights and to read the history of how the government has harassed, infiltrated, divided, and shut down activist movements.

Resources

 You Have the Right to Remain Silent

Operation Backfire

Security Culture: A Handbook for Activists

Q: Do you have lawyers willing to help us/advise us as we act?

A: We are currently building legal support for this purpose. We need volunteers for this and other tasks.

Q: What do I do if someone asks questions about wanting to form an underground, join an underground, start a safehouse, etc.

A: Say: “We are an aboveground movement. We do not wan to be involved. We do not answer anyone’s questions about personal desire to be in or form an underground.” Then, cut off the conversation if you have to.

More questions?

Email us.