THREAT LEVEL UNCHANGED: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
THE FBI INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN, DISSEMINATED ON A WEEKLY BASIS, PROVIDES
LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH CURRENT, RELEVANT TERRORISM INFORMATION
DEVELOPED FROM COUNTERTERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS AND ANALYSIS. THE
INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN DOES NOT CONTAIN THREAT WARNING INFORMATION.
HANDLING NOTICE: Recipients are reminded that the Intelligence Bulletin is designated
"Law Enforcement Sensitive," and should not be disseminated beyond law enforcement
circles.
ITEM: TACTICS USED DURING PROTESTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS
On October 25, 2003, mass marches and rallies against the occupation in Iraq are
scheduled to occur in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California. While the FBI
possesses no information indicating that violent or terrorist activities are being planned as
part of these protests, the possibility exists that elements of the activist community may
attempt to engage in violent, destructive, or disruptive acts. Most protests are peaceful events;
however, a number of demonstrations, including the biannual International Monetary Fund and
World Bank meetings, are more likely to be violent and disruptive and to require enhanced law
enforcement security. Several effective and innovative strategies are commonly used by
protestors prior to, during, and after demonstrations. The following tactics have been
observed by U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies while responding to criminal activities
conducted during protests and demonstrations.
Protestors often use the internet to recruit, raise funds, and coordinate their activities prior to
demonstrations. Activists may also make use of training camps to rehearse tactics and
counter-strategies for dealing with the police and to resolve any logistical issues.
If a demonstration is going to take place in a secure facility, activists may seek to gain access
to the site using false documentation. Surveillance of sites prior to demonstrations can allow
activists to identify locations of command posts and law enforcement personnel in order to
plan effective countermeasures.
Traditional demonstration tactics by which protestors draw attention to their causes include
marches, banners, and forms of passive resistance such as sit-ins. Extremist elements
may engage in more aggressive tactics that can include vandalism, physical harassment of
delegates, trespassing, the formation of human chains or shields, makeshift barricades,
devices used against mounted police units, and the use of weapons such as projectiles and
homemade bombs. Even the more peaceful techniques can create a climate of disorder,
block access to a site, draw large numbers of police officers to a specific location in order to
weaken security at other locations, obstruct traffic, and possibly intimidate people from
attending the events being protested.
During the course of a demonstration, activists often communicate with one another using cell
phones or radios to coordinate activities or to update colleagues about ongoing events. Other
types of media equipment (video cameras, photographic equipment, audio tape recorders,
microphones, and computer and radio equipment) may be used for documenting potential
cases of police brutality and for distribution of information over the internet.
Extremists may be prepared to defend themselves against law enforcement officials during the
course of a demonstration. Masks (gas masks, goggles, scarves, scuba masks, filter masks,
and sunglasses) can serve to minimize the effects of tear gas and pepper spray as well as
obscure one's identity. Extremists may also employ shields (trash can lids, sheets of plexiglass,
truck tire inner tubes, etc.) and body protection equipment (layered clothing, hard hats and
helmets, sporting equipment, life jackets, etc.) to protect themselves during marches. Activists
may also use intimidation techniques such as videotaping and the swarming of police officers
to hinder the arrest of other demonstrators.
After demonstrations, activists are usually reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement officials.
They seldom carry any identification papers and often refuse to divulge any information about
themselves or other protestors. Post-demonstration activities can include fundraising in support
of the legal defense of accused protestors and demonstrations of solidarity calling for the release
of the accused.
Law enforcement agencies should be alert to these possible indicators of protest activity and
report any potentially illegal acts to the nearest FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE: LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE
Information contained in the FBI Intelligence Bulletin is Law Enforcement Sensitive and intended
for official use only. No portion of this Bulletin should be released to the media, the general public
or over non-secure Internet servers. Release of Law Enforcement Sensitive material could
adversely affect or jeopardize investigative activities.
Departments are requested to contact the nearest FBI field office or resident agency in their area
should additional information be developed related to the above matter. Questions regarding the
content of these Bulletins should also be directed to the nearest FBI field office or resident agency.
www.fbi.gov/response.htm
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