HPD Preparing to Attack HFT?

Are Houston Police are training for an attack on The Houston Free Thinkers?

As news is surfacing about the US Military sending people to infiltrate the anti war movement up in Washington,The Houston Free Thinkers out of Texas are coming forward with evidence of a intelligence operation. It’s focus? The Houston Free Thinkers, a group of peaceful activists who utilize creative actions to spread their message and make the world a better place to live in. Not the most dangerous body of people in Texas by a long shot.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THESE TYPES OF OPERATIONS ARE THAT THEY ARE INTENDED FOR DOMESTIC TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS, BUT YEAR AFTER YEAR THEY ARE BEING USED AGAINST PEACEFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN 1ST AMENDMENT ACTIVITY. .

On June 25th, 2013 Peaceful Streets Project and HFT held a press conference to address a recent police killing in the Houston area, as well outline what appears to be a surveillance operation against them.

This is an article on Liberty Beat written by Houston Free Thinker, Derrick Broze.

In April activist alliance the Houston Free Thinkers reported on leaked emails from officers speaking on the condition of anonymity detailing how the Houston Police had held at least one training session discussing the local activists. The emails claim that the instructor had a “militarized tone” towards the community group. The officers were forced to watch Youtube Videos while the instructor named “each & every leader of HFT. ” The email went on to warn the group, “they could be infiltrated by undercover officers in an attempt to garner intel. ”
Just last week an image was leaked to the group that shows HPD officers inside a classroom with the ” Houston FreeThinkers” written on screen with one of the groups videos on display.

These images came with warnings that the officers were being trained on “ways for them to deal with protestors so they (the cops )wont break the law when they go for the actual arrest.” The group was also told “You guys think you know the law and how to get around certain scenarios, but trust me we know more and know how to get around YOU”. The session was apparently held to inform officers of activists who are aware of the law and how to find ways to successfully make arrests while dealing with “know it all groups”.

The Free Thinkers first publicized their awareness of police surveillance back in late April of this year. According to their
article which can be found at intellihub.com a police employee had come forward with information about Houston Police conducting trainings around HFT and other local activists including Peaceful Streets.

“I’ve seen the intel they have on HFT. Very scary. You’d think they were a violent organization. I’ve been forced to watch videos they have on them, having to keep my mouth shut. I totally support HFT. I sent an email trying to warn them of the intel being gathered on them but never received a response”

“They may very well be aware of what I told them, but if not, they need to know we were shown videos in a class at HPD (HFT own videos posted on YouTube). The instructor was able to name each & every leader of HFT. I felt HPD has a great disdain for their organization. It’s hard to explain & you’d have to have been there to sense the militarized tone of the instructor. Just wanted them to know to watch their backs & wouldn’t be surprised (have no knowledge of this whatsoever though) that they could be infiltrated by undercover officers in an attempt to garner intel. Again, I really have no clue how far HPD takes that stuff. I observed this during a training session at HPD over a year ago. Subsequent training sessions, there’s been no mention of HFT. And please note they were not the subject of the training. Please don’t pass my name along to them. If they are under a surveillance, my name associated with them wouldn’t be good. But if you have direct contact with Broze, I’d be more than happy to provide any info I hear in the future to you so that it can be disseminated to them. I did speak with a couple of others attending the training and mentioned during the break how I couldn’t find anything wrong with what HFT was doing. Definitely wouldn’t have gone over well during the class had I mentioned it.”

However you look at it, this appears to be just another example of local police likely in collaboration the local Joint Terrorism Task Force attempting to criminalize people engaged in peaceful 1st amendment activity.

WeCopwatch met Free Thinkers Derrick Broze and Micah Jackson at the 2012 RNC in Tampa after documenting their detention by DHS agents outside a federal compound

Watch The Houston Free Thinker’s detention here at 1m26s

However this turns out, pay attention to HFT and PSP in Houston, their solid word will vindicate them every time.

Lets be clear this is nothing new. Take a peak at how Denver Copwatch and other local activists were labeled “Criminal Extremists” back in 2002

For CopBlock Coverage of Houston Police Surveillance go to Copblock.org

For more pathetic attempts by police and JTTF teams to criminalize activists, read up on
Phil Cristiano’s investigation of COPBLOCK.ORG and Free Keeners

Boston Police Caught Spying
Georgia Caught Spying

Extra Resource.
Here is a great report compiled by several Copwatch groups outlining the criminalization of Copwatching in the states and internationally

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