# Federal agents & local police harassing peace activists at my former church **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 26, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073 "2011-01-26T18:11:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/1 "2011-01-26T18:11:26Z")
The church in question is First Congregational Church in Memphis. The peace activists are the Mid-South Peace & Justice center. Here’s a link to the local newspaper’s article on the incident: [http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jan/25/protest-earns-guarded-reaction/](http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jan/25/protest-earns-guarded-reaction/) And here’s a link to a blog post by the MSPJC media guy. [http://westtennessee.blogspot.com/2011/01/fbi-and-police-harassment-at-mid-south.html](http://westtennessee.blogspot.com/2011/01/fbi-and-police-harassment-at-mid-south.html) And here’s what I know. As mentioned I used to attend that church, occasionally volunteer there, and live in the neighborhood. The MSPJC rents office space from the church. I am friends with several persons in both organizations. On Tuesday they were having an indoor meeting – NOT a protest – as they frequently do, to which a good number of local community activisists were invited. The federal agents refused to tell Brad or, to my knowledge, ANYONE just what the “threat” was, but they did surround the church with cop cars. Given the purpose of the meeting – filling out Freedom of Information requests to learn if the FBI or Memphis Police is keeping surveillance on the activists – I have difficulty seeing this action as anything but an attempt at intimidation. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/2 "2011-01-26T18:18:13Z")
Nothing out of line with events/attitudes of the past decade. We have to be very careful and allow LEOs increased latitude. :rolleyes: In actuality - they probably did the group a benefit, as they can get more press out of the police actions than if they had simply done what they intended. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/3 "2011-01-26T18:28:32Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > …Given the purpose of the meeting – filling out Freedom of Information requests to learn if the FBI or Memphis Police is keeping surveillance on the activists – I have difficulty seeing this action as anything but an attempt at intimidation. Or possibly it was an answer to their as yet unfiled question. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/4 "2011-01-26T18:50:00Z")
Filling out forms? Some organizations take the “do not write in this box” instructions seriously! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/5 "2011-01-26T20:41:59Z")
Somebody probably was using a Number _Three_ pencil. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/6 "2011-01-26T23:56:51Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I have difficulty seeing this action as anything but an attempt at intimidation. Yeah, me too. In Memphis, of all places, shortly after MLK’s birthday. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/7 "2011-01-27T04:34:12Z")
Yeah, it sucks. I know animal activists get the same sort of treatment, if it’s any consolation. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-agents-local-police-harassing-peace-activists-at-my-former-church/569073/8 "2011-02-10T21:16:54Z")
I’m just now seeing this. I hadn’t heard a thing about it! Have you learned anything new since?