Tag Archive for Civil Unrest

(U//FOUO) DHS Bulletin: Some Violent Opportunists Probably Engaging in Organized Activities

We assess that some violent opportunists have become more emboldened following a series of attacks against law enforcement during the last 24 hours nationwide. This could lead to an increase in potentially lethal engagements with law enforcement officials as violent opportunists increasingly infiltrate ongoing protest activity. We also have received an increase in reports on shots fired during lawful protests nationwide—an indicator we associate with the potential for increased violence moving forward—and several uncorroborated reports of probably violent opportunists pre-staging improvised weapons at planned protest venues. Law enforcement officers continue to be the primary targets of firearm attacks, though several incidents last night involved violent opportunists shooting into crowds of protestors.

(U//FOUO) DHS Bulletin: Violent Opportunist Tactics Observed During Civil Disturbances 26-31 May

We assess that violent opportunists will continue to exploit ongoing nationwide lawful protests as a pretext to attempt to disrupt law enforcement operations; target law enforcement personnel, assets, and facilities; and damage public and private property. We have identified multiple tactics currently at play, including the use of weapons, counter-mobility, physical barriers, screening and concealment, intercepted communications, and pre-operational activities.

(U//FOUO) DHS Bulletin: Ongoing Violence, Information Narratives Nationwide Poses Continued Threat to Law Enforcement

In the last 24 hours the types of people or groups seeking to carry out violence in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has shifted in many cities. The initial violent looters and protestors were believed to be organic members of the local communities. However, domestic violent extremists are attempting to structure the protests to target specific symbols of state, local, and federal authority. We anticipate armed individuals will continue to infiltrate the protest movement. We assess with high confidence during the period of darkness from 30 to 31 May the violent protest movements will grow and DVEs and others will seek to take over government facilities and attack law enforcement.

U.S. Army Techniques Publication 3-39.33: Civil Disturbances

ATP 3-39.33 provides discussion and techniques about civil disturbances and crowd control operations that occur in the continental United States (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS). United States (U.S.) forces deploy in support of unified action, overseas contingency operations, and humanitarian assistance worldwide. During these operations, U.S. forces are often faced with unruly and violent crowds who have the intent of disrupting peace and the ability of U.S. forces to maintain peace. Worldwide instability coupled with U.S. military participation in unified-action, peacekeeping, and related operations require that U.S. forces have access to the most current doctrine and techniques that are necessary to quell riots and restore public order.

New York Police Circulating Mysterious Government Guide to Criminal Tactics of “Protest Extremists”

An email contained in the latest AntiSec release indicates that law enforcement agencies in New York have been circulating an out-of-date manual that was previously criticized by the ACLU to instruct officers about issues related to Occupy protests. The brief email from December 5, 2011 was circulated to a number of law enforcement agencies affiliated with the Mid Hudson Chiefs of Police Association and contains several document attachments that describe tactics used by protesters, including basic guides on how to conduct your own “Occupy” protest. One of the documents is a police manual titled “Civil Disturbance and Criminal Tactics of Protest Extremists” that describes “illegal” tactics used by protesters and so-called “protest extremists”. The document, which was last revised in 2003, does not list its originating agency or author and is marked with a number of unusual protective markings indicating that it is not intended for public release.

(U//FOUO) Civil Disturbance and Criminal Tactics of Protest Extremists

A manual attached to an email from the latest AntiSec release which has no listed author and little indications as to its source. The introduction states that information in the document “was collected and interpreted by multiple agencies” and the manual is intended for use only by “public safety agencies”. However, a 2003 article from a local newspaper in Colorado indicates that the manual was produced by an unknown U.S. Government agency and is used by Joint Terrorism Task Forces to teach local police about “criminal protest tactics”. According to an email in the most recent AntiSec release, the manual is still being circulated today in relation to police confrontations with Occupy protests.

California Peace Officer Standards and Training Crowd Management and Civil Disobedience Guidelines

In the United States all people have the right of free speech and assembly guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Federal Constitution and California State Constitution. Law enforcement recognizes the right of free speech and actively protects people exercising that right. The rights all people have to march, demonstrate, protest, rally, or perform other First Amendment activities comes with the responsibility to not abuse or violate the civil and property rights of others. The responsibility of law enforcement is to protect the lives and property of all people. Law enforcement should not be biased by the opinions being expressed nor by the race, gender, sexual orientation, physical disabilities, appearances, or affiliation of anyone exercising his/her lawful First Amendment rights. Law enforcement personnel must have the integrity to keep personal, political or religious views from affecting their actions.

European Parliament Study on Crowd Control Technologies

This study grew out of the 1997 STOA report, ‘An Appraisal of the Technologies of Political Control’ and takes that work further. Its focus is two fold:(i) to examine the bio-medical effects and the social & political impacts of currently available crowd control weapons in Europe; (ii) to analyse world wide trends and developments including the implications for Europe of a second generation of so called “non-lethal” weapons.

DoJ Hand-Held Aerosol Tear Gas Weapons Assessment

This standard establishes minimum performance requirements and methods of test, including safety and handling aspects, for hand -held aerosol tear gas (less -than -lethal) weapons used by law enforcement agencies. These devices are used by law enforcement officers to incapacitate or distract one person or several whose behavior must be modified when the situation is not sufficiently dangerous to require the use of a firearm. The scope of this standard is limited to hand-held tear gas weapons that incorporate ortho-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS) or alpha-chloroacetophenone (CN) as the active agent (lacrimator), sprayed from an aerosol dispenser.

DoJ Military and Civil Law Enforcement Nonlethal Weapons and Equipment Review

Law enforcement officers of the 21st century encounter many of the same challenges and issues their predecessors faced during the late 20th century. Incidents involving hostage rescue, vehicle pursuit, attempted suicide, the need to detain or control unruly individuals and crowds, and domestic disturbances continue to dominate daily activities. However, technology advances have matured, and new tactics provide law enforcement officers with additional options for handling many of these situations. A difficult aspect of civil law enforcement continues to be the need to manage individuals or groups when more than a show of force or voice commands are required and deadly force is neither authorized nor the preferred method of resolution. To meet this need, many Federal and State agencies and local law enforcement departments have developed and used less-lethal technology.

Occupy London Photos October 2011

Stuart Bannocks – http://www.flickr.com/photos/42665617@N07/ Loz Pycock – http://www.flickr.com/photos/blahflowers/ Hedonoikos – http://www.flickr.com/photos/bauzz/ Workers Solidarity Movement – http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsm_ireland/ Garry Knight – http://www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight/ Christopher A. Tittle – http://www.flickr.com/photos/onigiris_and_onsens/ Beth PH – http://www.flickr.com/photos/beth-torr/

Oakland Police Suppress Protesters With the Same Technology as Dictators

Photos from Tuesday evening’s violent police response to a march supporting the Occupy Oakland protest encampment indicate that the Oakland Police Department is using the same crowd suppression technologies that are used by foreign dictators. One photo by Reuters photographer Stephen Lam shows a broken canister from a “Han-Ball” rubber ball smoke grenade. The non-lethal munition is made by Defense Technology Corporation of America (Federal Laboratories), a company based in Casper, Wyoming and owned by BAE Systems, one of the largest defense contractors in the world. The use of non-lethal munitions manufactured by this company has been reported in recent popular protests in Yemen and Bahrain. Several Palestinian protesters were injured in early 2011 and one was killed after being struck by tear gas grenades made by several U.S. companies, including Defense Technology Corporation of America.

Occupy Wall Street Photos September 2011

Dan Nguyen – http://www.flickr.com/photos/zokuga/ Collin David Anderson – http://www.flickr.com/photos/collina/ Paul Weiskel – http://www.flickr.com/photos/31167233@N08/ Andrew Shiue – http://www.flickr.com/photos/djwerdna/ Occupy Wall Street – http://www.flickr.com/photos/occypywallstreet/6173632320/ David Shankbone- http://www.flickr.com/photos/shankbone/

U.S. Air Force Civil Disturbance Manual

This manual provides preplanning guidance for handling emergency situations, which include the full spectrum from civil disobedience through hostile disturbances to violent acts of terrorism. It discusses the concept of operations in planning for these crisis situations and offers an outline for preparation, execution and resolution of mass disturbances. Air National Guard units will use this manual as guidance. The use of name or mark of any specific manufacturer, commercial product, commodity or service in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Air Force.