Nonviolent protest is terrorism :(

[auroraglacialis]

F.B.I. Targets Peaceful Anti-Fracking & Rising Tide Activists, Washington Post Reveals | Rising Tide North America

As eco-terrorism wanes, governments still target activist groups seen as threat - The Washington Post

By Juliet Eilperin, Updated: Saturday, March 10, 5:12 PM
Ben Kessler, a student at the University of North Texas and an environmental activist, was more than a little surprised that an FBI agent questioned his philosophy professor and acquaintances about his whereabouts and his sign-waving activities aimed at influencing local gas drilling rules.“It was scary,” said Kessler, who is a national organizer for the nonviolent environmental group Rising Tide North America. He said the agent approached him this past fall and said that the FBI had received an anonymous complaint and were looking into his opposition to hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking.” The bureau respected free speech, the agent told him, but was “worried about things being taken to an extreme level.”

Even as environmental and animal rights extremism in the United States is on the wane, officials at the federal, state and local level are continuing to target groups they have labeled a threat to national security, according to interviews with numerous activists, internal FBI documents and a survey of legislative initiatives across the country. [continued, see link above]

So nonviolent protesting and action will get you also on the "eco terrorism watchlist" and under investigation by the FBI, even if no illegal activities are done. Nice. Whats one to do next - write letters to politicians? I guess that is still allowed until it is declared harrassment and impeding regular political process if a couple of thousand letters clutter up the mailboxes...

Oh and that pressure on nonviolent activists seems to be on the rise despite (or because?) of a decline in illegal (I'd hesitate to call it violent if no person was hurt when some people liberate animals from mink farms) forms of action.