A group of Democratic lawmakers on Thursday urge the authorities ’s privacy and civil liberties watchdog to set up an probe into claim of government surveillance at protest against police force and racial inequality spurred this year by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
cite concern that federal agencies may have violated Americans ’ rights during attempts to stay countrywide protest , Sen. Ron Wyden , Rep. Anna Eshoo , and Rep. Bobby Rush have called for an investigation by the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board ( PCLOB ) , an independent panel whose five members hold security measures clearances and are charged with investigate surveillance abuse .
“ Protests have played an essential part in societal change motility throughout our country ’s history , including the movements for our commonwealth ’s independence , cleaning woman ’s right to vote , polite rights , and LGBTQ rights . Jacob Blake , George Floyd , and Breonna Taylor are only the most recent cases of Black Americans who have been brutally harmed by police force enforcement officials in our land , ” a letter to the board says .
A group of protesters gathers in the street in a march to the Breonna Taylor memorial at Jefferson Square Park on 19 February 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky.Photo: Jon Cherry (Getty Images)
The letter outline late examples of surveillance , let in Customs and Border Protection drones that lumber , it order , “ 270 hours of airy surveillance footage over 15 cities , ” admit Minneapolis , New York City , and Detroit . It also cites the FBI ’s use of a Cessna 560 aircraft over dissent in Washington , D.C. , in June , noting the FBI has previously equipped such planes with devices capable of intercept cellphone datum .
https://gizmodo.com/u-s-lawmaker-citing-snowden-seeks-probe-into-nsa-tar-1845381172
It further cites a BuzzFeed newsreportfrom June in which the Justice Department is say to have granted the Drug Enforcement Agency authority to “ carry covert surveillance ” of protests prompted by Floyd ’s death at the hands of police .
Some agencies have denied collecting information on protesters , even if they were asked to do so . The Federal Protective Service , a component of the Department of Homeland Security , for example , asked tidings analysts at the department to break into phones seized from protester . A House Intelligence Committee investigation afterward define the postulation was not granted ; however , the lawmakers have asked PCLOB to investigate whether the phones were illegally appropriate irrespective .
The Air Force examiner superior general investigated seven flights over protests this year , the letter notes , but determined no information on U.S. persons was take in . The aircraft , flown by the U.S. National Guard , is equipped with various cameras and sensors capable of capturing demonstrator ’ movements . The inspector general report the flights “ did not hoard U.S. mortal info . ”
The U.S. Marshal ’s service , also , pronounce it did not follow a Portland protest aboard a individual - locomotive Cessna during a June 13 flight of stairs ; however , it has admitted to film photographs of the demonstration in which , it says , protesters can not be key .
The lawmakers have asked the privacy card to “ inquire and recite the effectual authorities ” under which Union federal agency have observed protests and accumulate data on participant , as well as whether “ required processes ” have been come after for utilisation of intelligence equipment on U.S. soil .
“ Government surveillance has a chilling effect on the constitutionally protected act of peacefully resist . Downloads for encrypted messaging apps have spiked during recent demonstration , show a broad concern about surveillance among protesters , ” the alphabetic character states .
Representatives Eshoo and Rush are among 35 member of Congress who demanded federal agencies cease surveillance of protestation in June . “ While the job of police force enforcement is to protect Americans , circumscribed actions may be necessary if a demonstration turns violent . However , this authority does not concede the means you lead to surveil American citizens or garner vast amount of personal entropy , ” lawmaker wrote
Sen. Wyden , who herald from Oregon , has previously question DHS and the U.S. Marshals Service over report surveillance in Portland . In a letter to DHS last month , Wyden sound out report of “ gamy - technical school surveillance technologies ” being deployed against demonstrator have raise “ serious business ” that Congress has a “ obligation to investigate . ”
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