‘This report is a roll-up of activity from revolutionary communist, radical anarchist, fascist, and other ‘alternative’ political groups that fulfill our intelligence requirements for both the Alt-Left and Alt-Right for Monday, 15 January 2018. Activities included are from Berkeley, Austin, Twitter, New York, Mississippi, Maryland, Sacramento, Portland, Minneapolis, and Houston.
Alt-Left
Berkeley: Four of the victims of the violence perpetrated by Antifa during the Berkeley riots last February are suing UC Berkeley, UCPD, the city of Berkeley, and Berkeley PD, as well as two of the Antifa members who assaulted them that they were able to identify. The lawsuit explains that “the city, university and the police department had ample time and warning of a potential riot to plan a crowd management policy” and that the police retreated and allowed the “paramilitary-style protesters in possession of dangerous and deadly weapons, including combat knives, ‘blackjacks,’ wooden poles, shields made out of plastic, wood, and metal and pepper spray,” to riot, protest, and assault attendees of the event. (Source: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/01/lawsuit-filed-uc-berkeley-police-city-members-antifa-violent-2017-riot/)
Austin: On Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the UT Austin Antifa Twitter account tweeted, “Instead of #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay how about #LawEnforcementIncinerationDay.”(Source: https://twitter.com/ASN_Austin/status/)
Notable Activities
New York: In reverence to Martin Luther King Jr., New Yorkers will be protesting President Trump in Times Square today at 3:00PM. The “Rally Against Racism” event has been organized by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and will “address the racism of Trump and what they are doing in their offices to address racial and class inequality.” (Source: https://www.theroot.com/new-yorkers-will-rally-against-trump-to-honor-dr-marti-1822084360)
Twitter: James O’Keefe’s “Project Veritas” has released videos that depict verified Twitter employees discussing the fact that they can see and are even paid to look at direct messages sent between Twitter users, which include nude photos and private conversations. (Source: https://twitter.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/952933848840630273)
Maryland: Chelsea Manning released a campaign video for her Senate run in Maryland. The ad features Manning wearing all black, Antifa rioting in the street, and anti-government advocacy: “we need to actually take the reigns of power from them and challenge them at every level,” which has caused many Twitter users to suspect that Manning is an Antifa member or sympathizer. (Source: https://nationonenews.com/2018/01/15/bradley-chelsea-manning-releases-creepy-campaign-ad/)
Austin: New security rules have been instated at the Texas capitol in Austin that are meant to prevent physical combat and violent protests. The rules include a list of newly banned items that will not be allowed at protests. The list of banned items include:
- Firearms and other deadly weapons, except when authorized under License to Carry authority
- Improvised items used to lock a person to another person or object
- Plastic bottles containing alcohol or non-consumable substances
- Open flame torches
- Metal signs
- Metal, plastic, and wood objects longer than 12 inches
- Sticks or other objects with protruding nails
- Balloons not filled with air, oxygen or helium
- Bricks, stones or rocks
- Projectile launchers, including water cannons
- Spray paint cans
- Gas masks or similar equipment
- Glass bottles
- Hammers
- Crow bars
- Toxic fluid, gas or solids in any container
- Improvised shields
- Helmets
- Drones
- Pepper spray
- Tasers
In a statement, the DPS stated that, “These measures are aimed at preventing violent confrontations during protests and demonstrations; maintaining order; and protecting all Capitol visitors from injury or infringement of constitutional rights.” (Source: http://kxan.com/2018/01/11/new-texas-capitol-security-measures-aimed-at-preventing-physical-combat/)
MLK Day: Teen Vogue published an article for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the hopes of “honoring MLK’s real legacy, not the one that makes white Americans comfortable.” In the introduction to the article, it says that it unearths the history that is, “not told through a white, cisheteropatriarchal lens. In this installment, writer Jenn M. Jackson explores the radical nature of Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy, she says, was whitewashed over time.” (Source: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/mlk-more-radical-than-we-remember)
Events:
15 Jan: Florida prisoners to take non-violent action against prison slavery by initiating a work stoppage on MLK Day (Source: https://itsgoingdown.org/florida-gears-offer-solidarity-operationpush/)
15 Jan: “Annual Reclaim MLK: This Was Not The Dream!” in Sacramento, California
20 Jan: Antifa: “Fuck Trump & His World: A Workshop* and Benefit Dinner**” in Portland, Oregon (https://conflictmn.blackblogs.org/fuck-trump-his-world-j20-workshop/)
9 Feb: United: A Black History Month Celebration in Austin, Texas
3 March: Black Lives Matter Houston: March For Black Women celebrating black sisterhood
DSA Fundraiser for Organizer Training (https://chuffed.org/project/secrets-of-a-successful-organizer-training)