Thread: Agencies warn of possible anarchist activity at conventions

Agencies warn of possible anarchist activity at conventions

By Carol Cratty, CNN Senior Producer
updated 9:54 PM EDT, Wed August 22, 2012


Law enforcement is concerned about potential violence by anarchists at upcoming political conventions.

Washington (CNN) -- Law enforcement officials are concerned about possible violence by anarchist extremists at the upcoming Republican and Democratic national conventions, according to an intelligence bulletin prepared by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
The bulletin, which was obtained by CNN, says that anarchists could try to use improvised explosive devices.

It also says that, as of March, the FBI had intelligence indicating individuals from New York "planned to travel to Tampa and attempt to close" all of the Tampa Bay-area bridges during the Republican National Convention next week.

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According to the document, the FBI's information as of March showed that anarchist extremists proposed "engaging in potentially destructive criminal activities against critical infrastructure outside the security perimeter throughout the Tampa Bay region because they expected access to the main RNC venue to be tightly controlled."

The FBI routinely issues intelligence bulletins in advance of many major events to warn local law enforcement of possible security concerns.

The document notes anarchists have a history of trying to disrupt major events.

"During past national and international political and economic events, anarchist extremists have blocked streets, intersections, and bridges to disrupt or impede local business operations and public transportation access and, in some instances have initiated violent confrontations with police," the document states.

The agencies said that before the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, anarchists discussed blocking bridges and sky walks, taking over a radio station, targeting corporations and identifying hotels where delegates were staying.

The anarchists also talked about identifying the location of police stations and emergency routes, according to law enforcement officials.

The document, however, doesn't provide details of what anarchists allegedly wanted to do with that information.

"FBI and DHS assess with high confidence anarchist extremists will target similar infrastructure in Tampa and Charlotte, with potentially significant impacts on public safety and transportation," according to the law enforcement alert. The Democratic National Convention is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina, in early September.

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The bulletin says that law enforcement agencies believe most protesters at the conventions will obey laws and not commit violent acts, but that anarchists are the most likely exceptions.

The notice warns of certain things state and local law enforcement should be on the watch for. Those include anarchists acquiring materials that could be used to make improvised explosive devices, obtaining firearms training and preparing for violence with groups they oppose -- such as white supremacists.

Anarchists often research potential targets, according to the bulletin.
Law enforcement officials cite the arrest in late April of five Ohio men for allegedly plotting to blow up a bridge over the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland. Authorities said at least three of the men are self-proclaimed anarchists who had considered "a series of evolving plots over several months."

The bulletin says the suspected anarchists conducted surveillance and did research on the Internet. The five pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Agencies warn of possible anarchist activity at conventions - CNN.com

Organizers say 5,000-person march set for Republican National Convention's first day

By Richard Danielson, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, August 23, 2012

A pedestrian walks around the Secret Service’s tall, black security fence constructed around the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Wednesday. Other fences are going up in other locations.
	[WILLIE J. ALLEN JR. | Times]

TAMPA — An alliance of more than 60 labor, peace, student, immigrant rights, gay and lesbian and other groups says it's ready for a 5,000-person march on the first day of the Republican National Convention.

"There will be nothing that will stop us from marching in the streets to demand good jobs, health care, affordable education, equality and peace and to oppose the party of legitimate rape," said Corey Uhl of the local chapter of Students for a Democratic Society.

The Coalition to March on the RNC plans to meet at 10 a.m. Monday at Perry Harvey Park. It is expected to hear from more than 40 speakers before marching around noon south toward the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Protesters are expected to come on buses from as far away as New York, Minnesota, Illinois and the state of Washington, organizers say. The crowd could include more than 700 college students. A member of Occupy Wall Street is expected to arrive with three busloads of demonstrators.

Organizers say the march will be peaceful and contend that any trouble is likely to be started by police.

Asked whether the march will try to prevent anyone from, for example, breaking windows or throwing rocks, march leader Jared Hamil said, "If they break the law, well, it's the law.

Whatever the law says."

But Hamil declined to criticize groups that might not follow organizers' plans for a peaceful march with a permit from the city.

"I'm not here to say that anything is a problem," he said. That's because the coalition has adopted a brief set of guidelines, "The Tampa Bay Principles," that emphasize respect "for the diversity of tactics" and a commitment to keeping criticisms of other activists internal to the movement.

"If people choose to do a different type of tactic, we ask that they separate (themselves) by time and space," Hamil said. "What we're doing on Aug. 27 is a permitted peaceful march, and whatever other people decide to do will be done in a different place at a different time."

Fences going up
Asked where the Secret Service's secure perimeter will go, RNC organizers and law enforcement have consistently said, "You'll know it when you see it."

We've seen it.
The 8-foot-tall panels of the perimeter are now going up along Brorein Street, which will be as far south as a pedestrian can get without RNC credentials.

The panels lock together, have a steel mesh designed to disperse liquids thrown on them and a wide, heavy base that would make them difficult to lift or tip over.

Other fences — mostly shorter and of a different design — are going up:
• Around the Tampa Bay Times Forum itself.

• Around the large protest area along Nebraska Avenue, just north of Brorein, as well as around a neighboring lot where news organizations will park trailers.

• Along parts of Florida Avenue and Tampa Street.
• Around Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and the nearby Rivergate Tower, popularly known as the Beer Can Building.

• Around the Fred B. Karl County Center, the state courthouse, Tampa City Hall and the Tampa Police Department.

The city has budgeted $290,000 from its $50 million federal security grant to pay for fences around government buildings, which police Chief Jane Castor says is money well-spent.

Disruptive groups often target iconic buildings like government offices, Castor said during a news conference Tuesday. Fencing them off lets authorities deploy officers who would be guarding buildings to other assignments.

"You don't have to feed, water or give breaks to a fence, so it saves us a lot of personnel," Castor said.

The County Center has relocated workers to satellite offices for the convention, and City Hall plans to shift people around as well.

Old City Hall will be closed the week of the RNC, with most of its 63 employees working from other places, and a small handful on vacation.

At the taller Tampa Municipal Office Building next door, 83 percent of the staff normally based there will work from there. Several dozen will be relocated to other offices.

Ryan speaks on Day 3
Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin congressman who is Mitt Romney's running mate, will cap the Wednesday of the convention, organizers said.

The convention's theme for that day will be "We can change it." Other speakers include former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; U.S. Sens. John McCain of Arizona, John Thune of South Dakota and Rob Portman of Ohio, governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico; Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

[Last modified: Aug 22, 2012 10:30 PM]
Organizers say 5,000-person march set for Republican National Convention's first day - Tampa Bay Times