Echoing the hideous history of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency* aiding the Robber Barons at the turn of the last century by infiltrating, spying on, and breaking union strikes by way of intimidation and other thuggery and violence, they are back in the news this week.

Now under the umbrella of Stockholm-based Securitas AB, Bloomberg News is reporting that the group is coordinating with other investigative firms to track protesters plans for the May Day General Strike** and NATO protests in Chicago.  The spokesman indicates that they are collecting data through social media and ‘assemblies’, which I take to mean ‘infiltrating Occupy general assemblies’.  Some Pinkerton opeds say that in their new incarnation, the Pinkertons are ‘armed with briefcases’ now; as opposed to saps and guns, I assume they’re implying.  We’ll see.

In the name of ‘preventing disruptions to business’, director of global risk Brian McNary of Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations apparently told Bloomberg that:

“Banks are preparing for Occupy demonstrations at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Chicago summit on May 20 and 21 by sharing information from video surveillance, robots and officers in buildings, giving “a real-time, 360-degree” view, said McNary, who works on the project.

Elk Versus Wolves

Banks cooperating on surveillance are like elk fending off wolves in Yellowstone National Park, he said. While other animals try in vain to sprint away alone, elk survive attacks by forming a ring together, he said.”

The Bloomberg piece by Max Abelson reminds readers of Jamie Dimon’s in-kind contribution to the NYPD in 2010 of $4.6 million and other examples of the police coordinating with the banks over security, including hundreds of private security cameras monitored in downtown Manhattan.

“Last year’s anti-bank protests were “like a big forest fire that was suppressed and put out,” Chris Swecker, the former head of security at Bank of America, said in an interview. Firms are studying protesters because “there’s also the opportunity for spontaneous fires to spring back up again,” said Swecker, who runs a security-consulting firm in Charlotte, North Carolina.”

The Bloomberg piece has a handy schedule of OccupyNYC events listed.  ;o)

In related news, The Partnership for Civil Justice*** has begun receiving some of the documents* they had requested under FOIA in order to discover if local government and local law enforcement agencies were working in a coordinated way with the federal government to suppress and shut down the Occupy Movement.  According to Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, Executive Director:

“What these documents are beginning to reveal is also the coordination between law enforcement agencies and private corporate entities representing the 1% that wanted to see the Occupy movement removed from public view and shut out of America’s parks.”

These initially released documents show:

The private corporate entity Brookfield Properties, which manages Zuccotti Park, had its security agency in communication with cities across the country about police actions designed to evict the Occupy movement and sought information as to Park Police plans to evict in D.C. 48 hours before OWS was evicted.
U.S. Park Police were communicating step by step, as they took action in regard to Occupy DC, with the Secret Service, DHS, and other police agencies as well as personnel affiliated with LEO.gov, the FBI’s nationally integrated network and alert system involving all aspects of civilian law enforcement, intelligence agencies and the military. As its website states, “LEO supports the FBI’s ten priorities by providing cost-effective, time-critical national alerts and information sharing to public safety, law enforcement, antiterrorism and intelligence agencies in support of the Global War on Terrorism.”
Park Police officials executed a warrant to search a tent at Occupy DC in McPherson Square based on a “reliable informant” who told them there was a “pistol” present. The most that the police could find was alcohol.
Government officials used the Occupy live stream, circulating the URL for personnel to watch, as they carried out their enforcement actions at McPherson Square.”

As more Rings of Power and Surveillance are Being Forged, Mr. Pinkerton likens theirs to…Elk Defense Rings, and…we’re the Wolves.  Let’s act like it, and not disappoint the Pinkertons…the banks and other 1%-ers.  ;o)

 

“Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number ~
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you ~
Ye are many ~ they are few.”

~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

Lions, Wolves…and Bears…Oh, My!

 

*Pinkerton Government Services, Inc.  (WTH?) information is here.

**For May Day commemoration  of the Haymarket Square ‘Affair’ or ‘Massacre’,  here’s the Wiki.

*** You can sign up to receive updates on further documents received by PCJF here.