Security for Activists: Overcoming Repression

Political dissidents have always been the target of government repression and corporate surveillance. It is important to take these attacks seriously and object to them. At the same time it is important not to allow fear-mongers to scare you away from political participation. Stories about vast conspiracies and elaborate surveillance technologies can create an atmosphere that discourages activism. This is what the opposition wants. On this page you will find sensible and reliable information about safety and security for political activists.

Be Prepared - A Guide to Political Rights

Know Your Rights - A Legal Guide
National Lawyers Guild
Also available at that site as downloadable Acrobat .pdf and Microsoft Word .doc files.
Also in Spanish, Farsi, Arabic, Punjabi, and Portuguese.

National Lawyers Guild
National office: (212) 627-2656, http://www.nlg.org
National Immigration Project: (617) 227-9727

Immigration Law Center
Immigration law information is available on http://ww.nilc.org

American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Report hate crimes and harassment against
Arab Americans and Muslims to
ADC: (202) 244-2990.
 

Some Images and Some Advice to Help You Visualize Resisting Repression.

Understanding and Resisting Political Repression

 

Demonizing Dissent by Kit Gage

Encountering and Countering Political Repression by Chip Berlet

Common Sense Security by Sheila O'Donnell. Basic tips to make security consciousness part of your group's activist mentality without diverting you from your goals. From the old Public Eye Network.

The War at Home: An Overview by Brian Glick. An overview extracted from the booklet published by South End Press. Guidlines for coping with harassment and attacks.

What to Do About Bugs, Taps, And Infiltrators by Linda Lotz. An oldie but a classic goodie.

This is an older version of Know Your Rights above: If an Agent Knocks by Center for Constitutional Rights (revised)

Background

Waging War on Dissent: Loss of Democratic Rights During the Seattle WTO Ministerial
NLG Seattle. Also see Other Resources at this site.

Out of Control: Seattle's Flawed Response to Protests Against the World Trade Organization an ACLU Report

The Watchers Multinationals Take Aim at Protesters. By Bill Berkowitz. In These Times, December 25, 2000.

Partnership for Civil Justice: Washington, D.C. Rights Information Center - Updates

Reading List on Intelligence Agencies and Political Repression