The summary of Cost of War's latest report states: "The aftermath of 9/11 witnessed the emergence of new laws and policies designed to police individuals regarded as "terrorists." While the popular perception of terrorism centered around Arabs, Muslims, and those who 'look Muslim,' the U.S. national security apparatus quietly broadened its definition of terrorism to include peace activists, environmental justice activists, animal rights activists, Black Lives Matter activists and others. Counterterrorism resources have been used to infiltrate political organizations that 'criticize business interests and government policies,' according to the ACLU, despite a lack of evidence that the groups were either engaged in or intended to use violent action. For instance, anti-terrorism training was given to police officers in the lead up to the protests against the Keystone XL Pipeline in 2018. And the U.S. government labeled indigenous activists opposed to the pipeline as 'extremists.'”
Date
November 7, 2023
Why Media Conflation of Activism with Terrorism has Dire Consequences: The Case of Cop City
The Costs of War project recently released a new report titled, "Why Media Conflation of Activism with Terrorism has Dire Consequences: The Case of Cop City."