May 24, 18

Statement on Recent FBI Visits in Southeast Michigan

Filed under: Action, Midwest, Repression, The State

What follows is a statement from the Michigan Anti-Repression Committee on recent FBI visits, their context, and what to do if you or those close to you are also approached by the FBI or police.

Over the last several days at least two activists have been visited by FBI agents in Southeast Michigan. In one case, two FBI agents attempted to question an activist at their home, but the activist was not home at the time. In the other case, two FBI agents visited another activist, partially blocking them in their driveway outside of their home as they were leaving for school. During this visit, the FBI agents asked a series of general questions regarding anti-fascist and other organizations, including Redneck Revolt, the IWW, Nashville ARA, and Solidarity and Defense. In addition, the FBI agents asked questions about specific individuals, as well as specific events, including the March 5, 2018 Stop Spencer demonstration at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. At this time, we have reached out to all individuals and organizations mentioned by the FBI.

We realize that, historically, intelligence gathering campaigns are started in order to cause disruptions and panic within our communities. We must respond to this latest round of FBI harassment by supporting each other, and not by speculating about the nature of the FBI’s investigation. In the coming days and months, we strongly encourage anyone who is visited by the FBI or other agents to insist on your right to remain silent. Even the most seemingly innocuous information can help the government further repress our movements. By refusing to cooperate with political fishing expeditions and by exposing the FBI’s harassment, we can build support and solidarity among our various communities. Solidarity means we have a responsibility to support and protect one another in the face of state repression. By helping to educate ourselves and others on best practices when dealing with police, or federal agents, we can keep each other safe from future incidences. Community self-defense is our best weapon against repression tactics that aim to exploit and divide us.

If you, or anyone you know, is ever visited by the FBI or other law enforcement agents:

Say only: “I am going to remain silent. Give me your card and my lawyer will contact you.”
Contact your nearest National Lawyers Guild chapter to let them know about the encounter. If you are in Michigan, contact the Detroit and Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild at (313) 925-2626
Let us know what happened by contacting the Michigan Anti-Repression Committee at: [email protected]
We encourage you to broadly spread the word of your experience, which will alert other activists.

If the FBI or other law enforcement agents want to conduct a search:

Say, “I do not consent to a search.”
You may inform them that if they leave a card a lawyer may contact them. You can then ask them to leave, or you can simply close the door.
If they do have a warrant, you may ask them to slide it under the door or mail slot.
You may want to take a picture of the warrant and send it to a lawyer. Signal is a secure and encrypted messaging app for smartphones (https://signal.org)
You can assert that you wish to consult with a lawyer before consenting to a search. This may not stop them from entering.
Before they enter, you may wish to shut down electronics, move anything you wish to keep private from plain sight, and close all doors. The warrant may not apply to the entire house.
Anything in plain sight that obviously appears illegal or evidence of a crime may be seized.

If the FBI or other law enforcement agents have a subpoena:

Agents who come to your home with a subpoena are not legally entitled to enter unless you give them permission. Unless they have a warrant, they cannot come inside to search for anyone or anything named in the subpoena. The best way to assert that they do not have permission is to declare “I do not consent to searches.”