Red squad

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Red Squads are U.S. police intelligence units that specialize in infiltrating, harassing, and gathering intelligence on political and social groups. With a heritage dating as far back as the Haymarket Riot in 1886, the term Red Squad became popular in larger cities, such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, in the 1920's. At that time, the primary function of a Red Squad was to seek out and destroy labor union organizers and anti-government dissidents. Such groups were seen by the police as being Red (as in communist), which led to the name, Red Squad.

As the protests against Vietnam increased in the late 1960's, the Red Squads reinforced their focus on dissidents. This activity was encouraged and expanded by the Johnson and Nixon administrations, which included the support of the FBI and CIA.

The aftermath of the riots during Johnson's administration and Watergate during Nixon's administration led to public criticism of the Red Squads for illegal and harassing tactics. The U.S. Congress passed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978 to limit 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.

Contents 1 Other use of "red squad" 2 References 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Other use of "red squad"

Outside of politics, the term "red squad" is used without negative connotations:

• During the 1981 Springbok Tour in New Zealand, riot police were formed into Red and Blue Squads to control protesters opposed to the tour.
• In the NFL Pro Bowl, the AFC is often referred to as the red squad because the AFC team color is red while the NFC team color is blue.
• In Star Trek, Red Squad is the name of an elite corps of Cadets at the academy.
• In the episode of Strangers with Candy entitled "Is My Daddy Crazy?", Jerri's stepfather claims to have a "secret enemy" which he calls The Red Squad.

[edit] References

• Frank J. Donner (1990). Protectors of privilege : red squads and police repression in urban America. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-05951-4. Includes bibliographical references.
• Chicago Historical Society book list: Chicago Police Department’s Red Squad’s Involvement in Social Protest: “They Have No Rights”
• Red Squad. Directed by Steven Fischler, Joel Sucher, Howard Blatt and Francis Freedland. USA, 1972, b/w, 45 min.

[edit] See also

• Haymarket Riot
• Patriot Act
• Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003

[edit] External links

• Fighting Terror With Databases; Domestic Intelligence Plans Stir Concern, Jim McGee, The Washington Post (February 16, 2002)
• "Hate Squad", Reason Magazine, 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 Guardian (November 30, 2002)
• "Return of the Red Squad", Socialist Worker, 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.