9/8 ~3pm Alberta Neighborhood
“2 unidentified law enforcement agents (we believe FBI) performed a door-knock style encounter at ahouse in the Alberta neighborhood (ne Portland) around 3pm on 9/8.”
The vehicle they are believed to have traveled in was a dark Chevy Tahoe. It is unclear at this time why they did the door-knock.
2 plainclothes law enforcement were dressed as follows: one in a flannel shirt and the other with a plate carrier over his clothes. They asked for someone who was just named in an FBI press release / arrest warrant in relation to activities in Atlanta in 2020. One of the agents had a stack of folded papers in his hand.
The person who answered the door told the agents they had nothing to say to them and closed the door – this is the correct thing to do if you are approached by any law enforcement.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE APPROACHED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT:
- Do not talk to them. Stay calm and do not answer any questions, even if they seem harmless. You can say that you do not want to talk to them and ask them to leave a business card. Agents may try to manipulate you or threaten you to get you to talk, but it is important to not get intimidated and continue to stay silent.
- If agents come to your door, do not let them in. Keep the door closed. If you are approached somewhere else, ask if you are free to go and walk away.
- You do not have to consent to a search unless they present a signed search warrant. If they have a warrant, ask them to slide it under the door. An arrest warrant is not the same as a search warrant.
- Alert the community if you are approached by law enforcement and share the facts:
- Where did this occur? When did this occur? Who approached you? (which agency were they from, how many agents, business cards, etc.) What happened during the interaction? (what did they say, what did you say, how long it lasted, etc.)
- Only share information that you are sure of. Do not speculate or guess, share details even if they seem insignificant.
- Share this information publicly. Federal law enforcement activity concerns everyone, so make sure that this information is accessible to people outside of your immediate circle. You can submit information anonymously to a counter-info website like Puget Sound Anarchists or Rose City Counter Info. If you encounter information on social media, mirror it to a counter-info website so that it can be viewed by people who do not have accounts on social media.
- Be aware of the possibility of surveillance and do not do anything that could incriminate you or others. Police may monitor who you contact (network mapping) and what you do after receiving a door knock. Who you call or visit in the aftermath of a door knock can provide clues about your network and potentially expose other people to surveillance. For more information about surveillance techniques and mitigation strategies, check out the resources at the No Trace Project (https://www.notrace.how/threat-library/techniques/).
Our passion for freedom is stronger than their cages.
Resources:
National Lawyers Guild Federal Repression Hotline: 212-679-2811 “The National Lawyers Guild’s Federal Anti-Repression Task Force offers a hotline for activists and lawyers to report incidents of federal repression and contact from federal agents. Callers can have a privileged conversation with attorneys and receive local attorney referrals, know-your-rights information and resources for responding to grand jury investigations and subpoenas.”
More information: https://www.nlg.org/nlg-announces-federal-defense-hotline/
Puget Sound Anarchists: https://pugetsoundanarchists.org/submit-content/
Rose City Counter Info: https://rosecitycounterinfo.noblogs.org/submit-content/
submitted anonymously