The DC government is deploying COINTELPRO like tactics against organizations and individuals fighting to protect and expand our rights. Of course, this is not news to those who have been engaged in political work here for any amount of time, but now, thanks to one local organizer, there is proof.

Suspecting she was being surveilled by the Metro Police Department (MPD), April Goggans of Black Lives Matter DC (BLMDC) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the documents the DC government had on her. MPD has hid, stalled and lied to avoid giving her the documents to which she is legally entitled.

Beyond this individual case, the persistent use of COINTELPRO tactics- such as spying, intimidation and disruption- to attack organizations fighting for basic human rights, demonstrates the need for radical social transformation.

MPD has enough time, resources, equipment and political will to spy on April Goggans for demanding an end to gentrification and police murders. The very same department, however, is unable to uncover a plan, shared by tens of thousands of people, attempting to overthrow the operations of the federal government.

This society- from government officials to history lessons to the media- brags about the freedom of speech it affords to regular people. But, if as a result of speaking out, the speaker is spied upon, harassed, lied to, and denied access to public documents AND the perpetrators go unpunished for the violation of rights, then there is no freedom of speech. There are greater consequences to exercising free speech than there are to denying constituents their rights. Violent White Supremacists, of course, excepted.

We Demand:

• Justice for April Goggans

  • Stop spying on and harassing her

  • Give the documents she is entitled to have

• Stop breaking the law

  • Comply with FOIA requests

  • No enemies lists

  • Consequences for government officials who break FOIA and spying laws

• No COINTELPRO in DC

  • Stop spying on organizers and organizations

  • Stop violating our rights to free speech and assembly

*Check out PACA's Community Control of Police Campaign here.