Red squad
Encyclopedia
In the United States
, Red Squads were police intelligence units that specialized in infiltrating, conducting counter-measures and gathering intelligence on political and social groups during the twentieth century. Dating as far back as the Haymarket Riot in 1886, Red Squads became common in larger cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles during the First Red Scare
of the 1920s. They were set up as specialized units of city police departments, as a weapon against labor unions, communists, anarchists
, and other dissidents.
which provides the basis for the name "Red Squad." They became more commonplace in the 1930s, often conceived of as a countermeasure to Communist organizers who were charged with executing a policy of dual unionism
- namely, building a revolutionary movement in parallel with membership in above-ground labor organizations. Similar units were established in Canada
in this period, although only the Toronto
police
under Chief Dennis Draper
used the name.
In the late 1960s, as the protests against Vietnam and the general domestic upheaval intensified, the Red Squads augmented their focus, to include dissidents largely outside the labor movement, including therein not just war resisters, but protest movements of all political stripes, including Neonazis, Native American movements, the women's movement, environmentalists, the civil rights movement, and others. The methods employed ranged from simple surveillance to isolated incidents of assassination
. Anti-activist police operations were expanded under the Johnson and Nixon
administrations, particularly in concert with, and within the cadre of the FBI's COINTELPRO
surveillance program, but also including domestic spying by the CIA.
After the civil unrest during Johnson's administration, Watergate during Nixon's administration, and the public exposure of COINTELPRO by a dissident organization in 1971, widespread criticism of the Red Squads for illegal and undemocratic tactics emerged. In 1975, in the wake of both the Watergate scandal and the exposure of COINTELPRO, the Church Committee
was formed to investigate overstepping on the part of federal law inforcement and intelligence gathering agencies. Following the recommendations of that committee, the U.S. Congress passed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978, placing limits on the power of police and Federal agencies. This ended the official use of Red Squads.
Since 1978, the term Red Squad has resurfaced repeatedly to describe any action by police or Federal agencies that is deemed to be oppressive to a social or political group.
, submitted an affidavit on the issue to a Freedom of Information Act request. The case, No. 10-00169, is pending. Additionally, a private investigator, David Lawson, wrote a book about his investigation into these groups http://www.amazon.com/dp/0970309252. There are also several victim’s websites http://gangstalkingworld.com/ and news stories http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7r4T-OzAY http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=490_1297716994 making similar accusations. All sources believe these groups are citizen based, but some came they are sanctioned by elements within the Government.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Red Squads were police intelligence units that specialized in infiltrating, conducting counter-measures and gathering intelligence on political and social groups during the twentieth century. Dating as far back as the Haymarket Riot in 1886, Red Squads became common in larger cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles during the First Red Scare
First Red Scare
In American history, the First Red Scare of 1919–1920 was marked by a widespread fear of Bolshevism and anarchism. Concerns over the effects of radical political agitation in American society and alleged spread in the American labor movement fueled the paranoia that defined the period.The First Red...
of the 1920s. They were set up as specialized units of city police departments, as a weapon against labor unions, communists, anarchists
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, and other dissidents.
History
In New York, former City Police Commissioner Patrick Murphy traced their origin there to an "Italian Squad" formed in 1904 to monitor a group of Italian immigrants under suspicion. However, it is their association with fighting communismCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
which provides the basis for the name "Red Squad." They became more commonplace in the 1930s, often conceived of as a countermeasure to Communist organizers who were charged with executing a policy of dual unionism
Dual unionism
Dual unionism is the development of a union or political organization parallel to and within an existing labor union. In some cases, the term may refer to the situation where two unions claim the right to organize the same workers....
- namely, building a revolutionary movement in parallel with membership in above-ground labor organizations. Similar units were established in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in this period, although only the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
police
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
under Chief Dennis Draper
Dennis Draper
Brigadier-General Dennis Colborne Draper was the Chief Constable of the Toronto Police Department from 1928 to 1946.-Early life:Draper was born and raised in Sutton in the Brome region of Quebec...
used the name.
In the late 1960s, as the protests against Vietnam and the general domestic upheaval intensified, the Red Squads augmented their focus, to include dissidents largely outside the labor movement, including therein not just war resisters, but protest movements of all political stripes, including Neonazis, Native American movements, the women's movement, environmentalists, the civil rights movement, and others. The methods employed ranged from simple surveillance to isolated incidents of assassination
Fred Hampton
Fred Hampton was an African-American activist and deputy chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party...
. Anti-activist police operations were expanded under the Johnson and Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
administrations, particularly in concert with, and within the cadre of the FBI's COINTELPRO
COINTELPRO
COINTELPRO was a series of covert, and often illegal, projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations.COINTELPRO tactics included discrediting targets through psychological...
surveillance program, but also including domestic spying by the CIA.
After the civil unrest during Johnson's administration, Watergate during Nixon's administration, and the public exposure of COINTELPRO by a dissident organization in 1971, widespread criticism of the Red Squads for illegal and undemocratic tactics emerged. In 1975, in the wake of both the Watergate scandal and the exposure of COINTELPRO, the Church Committee
Church Committee
The Church Committee is the common term referring to the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, a U.S. Senate committee chaired by Senator Frank Church in 1975. A precursor to the U.S...
was formed to investigate overstepping on the part of federal law inforcement and intelligence gathering agencies. Following the recommendations of that committee, the U.S. Congress passed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978, placing limits on the power of police and Federal agencies. This ended the official use of Red Squads.
Since 1978, the term Red Squad has resurfaced repeatedly to describe any action by police or Federal agencies that is deemed to be oppressive to a social or political group.
Resurgence
It has been alleged that Red Squad style social control activity has reemerged as what is described as “gang stalking.” A former high ranking FBI agent, Ted GundersonTed Gunderson
Theodore L. Gunderson was a retired United States Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent In Charge and head of the Los Angeles FBI. He was most famous for handling the Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy cases...
, submitted an affidavit on the issue to a Freedom of Information Act request. The case, No. 10-00169, is pending. Additionally, a private investigator, David Lawson, wrote a book about his investigation into these groups http://www.amazon.com/dp/0970309252. There are also several victim’s websites http://gangstalkingworld.com/ and news stories http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7r4T-OzAY http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=490_1297716994 making similar accusations. All sources believe these groups are citizen based, but some came they are sanctioned by elements within the Government.
Other use of "red squad"
Outside of politics, the term "red squad" is used without negative connotations:- During the 1981 Springbok Tour1981 Springbok TourThe 1981 South African rugby union tour of New Zealand was a controversial tour of New Zealand by the South Africa national rugby union team, known as "the Springboks"...
in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, riot police were formed into Red and Blue Squads to control protesters opposed to the tour. - In the NFL Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
, the AFCAmerican Football ConferenceThe American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
is often referred to as the red squad because the AFC team color is red while the NFC team color is blue. - In Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, Red Squad is the name of an elite corps of cadets at Starfleet AcademyStarfleet AcademyIn the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet Academy is where the future's recruits to Starfleet will be trained. It was created in the year 2161, when the United Federation of Planets was founded...
. - In the episode of Strangers with CandyStrangers with CandyStrangers with Candy is a television series produced by Comedy Central. It first aired on April 7, 1999, and concluded its third and final season on October 2, 2000. Its timeslot was Sundays at 10 p.m....
entitled "Is My Daddy Crazy?", Jerri's stepfather claims to have a "secret enemy" which he calls The Red Squad.
See also
- Haymarket Riot
- Patriot Act
- Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003The Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 was draft legislation written by United States Department of Justice during the George W. Bush administration, under the tenure of United States Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Center for Public Integrity obtained a copy of the draft marked...
- COINTELPROCOINTELPROCOINTELPRO was a series of covert, and often illegal, projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations.COINTELPRO tactics included discrediting targets through psychological...
- Church CommitteeChurch CommitteeThe Church Committee is the common term referring to the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, a U.S. Senate committee chaired by Senator Frank Church in 1975. A precursor to the U.S...
- Red ScareRed ScareDurrell Blackwell Durrell Blackwell The term Red Scare denotes two distinct periods of strong Anti-Communism in the United States: the First Red Scare, from 1919 to 1920, and the Second Red Scare, from 1947 to 1957. The First Red Scare was about worker revolution and...
- Will v. Michigan Dept. of State PoliceWill v. Michigan Dept. of State PoliceWill v. Michigan Dept. of State Police, was a case decided by the United States Supreme Court, in which the Court held that States and their officials acting in their official capacity are not persons when sued for monetary damages under the Civil Rights Act of 1871.- Background information :Ray...
,
External links
- "Police Surveillance of Political Activity -- The History and Current State of the Handschu Decree, Testimony Presented To The New York Advisory Committee To The U.S. Commission On Civil Rights", Arthur N. Eisenberg, New York Civil Liberties UnionNew York Civil Liberties UnionThe New York Civil Liberties Union is an civil rights organization in the United States. Founded in 1951 as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, it is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization with nearly 50,000 members across New York State.NYCLU's stated mission is to...
(May 21, 2003) - Fighting Terror With Databases; Domestic Intelligence Plans Stir Concern, Jim McGee, The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
(February 16, 2002) - "Hate Squad", Reason MagazineReason (magazine)Reason is a libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation. The magazine has a circulation of around 60,000 and was named one of the 50 best magazines in 2003 and 2004 by the Chicago Tribune.- History :...
, Charles Paul Freund (2001) - "Now Police Can Spy On Everybody", Leonard Levitt, New York Newsday (February 12, 2003)
- "NYPD fights ban against spying on activists", Oliver Burkeman, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(November 30, 2002) - "Return of the Red Squad", Socialist WorkerSocialist WorkerSocialist Worker is the name of several socialist/communist newspapers associated with the International Socialist Tendency...
, Nicole Colson, (February 27, 2004) - "Rules Eased for Surveillance of New York Groups", Benjamim Weiser, New York Times (February 12, 2003)
- "The NYPD Wants to Watch You", Nation's Largest Law Enforcement Agency Vies for Total Spying Power, Chisun Lee, Village Voice, December 18–24, 2002.
- "Red Squad Returns", The Indypendent, July 4, 2003