FBI Surveils and Infiltrates Occupy Wall Street Protest Movement
FBI documents obtained through FOIA requests and released in 2012–2013 revealed that the bureau monitored Occupy Wall Street organizers, worked with local law enforcement to track protests, and questioned activists — all activities centered on constitutionally protected protest, assembly, and speech.
Occupy Wall Street, the protest movement that established encampments in Zuccotti Park in New York City in September 2011 and spread nationwide, was the subject of extensive federal surveillance. FOIA documents obtained by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund and published in December 2012 showed the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and local Joint Terrorism Task Forces coordinated monitoring of Occupy groups in cities across the country from the movement's inception. Documents revealed that FBI field offices treated the protests as potential domestic terrorism events, monitored social media, sent agents to Occupy events, and shared intelligence about peaceful protest plans with large financial institutions. Internal FBI memos referenced plans to potentially use lethal force against 'anarchist leaders.' The ACLU noted that the records showed the bureau conducting surveillance of groups and individuals engaged solely in First Amendment-protected activity with no credible evidence of planned violence.