Dear Friend,

While the FBI continues to deny its surveillance of Black activists, recently leaked files prove that they’ve been lying to us. This week, Congress has another chance to call them on it.₁

We know from these files that the FBI identified so-called “Black Identity Extremism” as a top counterterrorism priority as recently as 2018 and subsequently implemented a program called “Iron Fist” to “mitigate the threat posed by the BIE movement at a national level” — without citing any evidence.

Tomorrow, FBI Director Christopher Wray will testify again at the House Homeland Security Committee hearing about “Threats to the Homeland.” We're calling on Democratic Committee members to exercise their leadership in the hearing by demanding the FBI officially revoke the BIE designation and other similar designations on record.

Tell the House Homeland Security Committee: #ProtectBlackDissent and demand the FBI revoke the “Black Identity Extremist” Designation

In October 2017, a leaked intelligence assessment revealed that the FBI had created a fictitious threat designation called “Black Identity Extremist” to spy on Black activists protesting police violence. MediaJustice, in partnership with the ACLU, filed a FOIA request to gather more information on the FBI’s surveillance of Black activists and Black-led organizations.  

When the FBI refused to respond to the FOIA request, MediaJustice and the ACLU filed a lawsuit to force the disclosure of this critical information.₂ In response, the FBI has only shared heavily redacted files, further proving that the Bureau is being secretive about its spying on Black activists.₃ 

The FBI’s “Black Identity Extremist” designation is baseless and harmful to Black activists organizing to keep our communities safe from racist police violence. This designation builds off a legacy of undermining and disrupting Black radical organizing for freedom and social justice, while also criminalizing our protected first amendment right.

Urge Congress to act decisively to #ProtectBlackDissent Wednesday by calling and tweeting House Homeland Security Committee members TODAY. 

In Solidarity,

Erin and the rest of Team #MediaJustice

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Sources: 
[1] The Young Turks
[2] MediaJustice
[3] ACLU