FBI admits to spying on Burning Man

a reply to: DavDave

They are in everything. Its not exactly news. AA meetings, christian prayer groups, sci fi conventions, all of it

We have to learn to function in a martial way. Live with the surveilance and become smarter. As we are, full of BS, we will go crazy over this stuff. Lose your shame and lose your fear. Let them see, just dig deeper and find a deeper you. Another layer for yourself.

Keep going deeper until you are alone.

a reply to: Bluntone22 there are things that go on at festivals that aren't entirely legal, but acceptable within the surroundings, you don't need anyone there forcing any abstract laws at a music festival.

a reply to: woodwardjnr


Agreed.
But I don't think they interfered with the festival.
Or I missed it if they did.

a reply to: tadaman

I have noticed some fishy stuff with my local environmental groups and even setting up for small music and surf festivals. The kind of stuff that I just have to keep to myself because the layperson who is not aware of the surveillance state will simply not believe it and assume I'm nuts.

It is probably a safe assumption that the organizers of BM have been infiltrated to some extent too.

Usually they show up to observe, take photos and get names. That's about the extent of what these undercover guys do. As I said, unless they're hiring informants -- these guys stick out like sore thumbs (they usually try to hard to fit in).

a reply to: Bluntone22

If you have a job to spy/gather information on anyone, it is called spying.

I do not think the feds at BM are there just to "observe", they are not being paid to "observe". They are gathering information and/or doing tests on x individuals.

Get your head out of your ass while you still can @jimmyx as well

a reply to: Bluntone22

And that is their goal, to NOT interfere and gather intel.

At BM that do not care about recreational drug use, the want leads to dealers with money and assets. They want leads on activists who have a following so they can investigate, perhaps influence, or if all else fails destroy the credibility of what they may consider harmful ideals and a dangerous following.

It is not just the the FEDs, big corporations have incentive to spy and gather intel on the masses too.

Yus'll not get any FBI men out there...too much sand!

Come to think of it, too much sand for El Nookie too.

originally posted by: CcaptainObvious
a reply to: Bluntone22

If you have a job to spy/gather information on anyone, it is called spying.

I do not think the feds at BM are there just to "observe", they are not being paid to "observe". They are gathering information and/or doing tests on x individuals.

Get your head out of your ass while you still can @jimmyx as well

And if you're stupid enough to do something illegal in the middle of a music festival you have your head up your ass already.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Funny you mention gathering names.

Getting people to sign an anti-GMO petition is great way of gathering intel on a group of people. I had an experience where an attractive young girl was getting people to sign one, however after asking the girl a few basic questions about GMOs and what they are and why are they bad, it became obvious she was clueless about GMOs. Needless to say she was able to get a lot of personal information(name, address, phone#, email) from a lot of people.

I think most guys just filled out the survey because of her looks....

At a festival like BM there would be no shortage of people willing to sign a petition to ban GMOs.....

a reply to: jrod

Exactly.

They might as well walk around with DEA hats on, as no one at BM would believe the real DEA would do something like that. Much better tactic IMO.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
Unless they're hiring informants, the "undercover" people would be painfully obvious to spot by anyone who knows the BM subculture.

I've never been, would like to go someday....but I fear I would look like and undercover mainly because I don't know the culture and all I would be doing is going around looking at things and asking questions for awhile.....so it may not be as easy as you might think.

a reply to: Bluntone22 you Americans scare me. You don't mind people walking the streets with ARs, but heaven forbid someone do something in the middle of a music festival? I know it's not that bad because I have friends who go every year, but get your priorities straight.

Sounds like the cointel back in the 60s, like with Abbie Hoffman in the movie steal this movie

I can't find the clip(s) but Reno 9-11 did an episode where the crew went undercover at BM. Pretty funny.

Burning Man is far from just some naked stoners in the desert. It's basically play time for the filthy rich. And the rules one must go by to be there are very strict and enough to assure a paranoid, unfun time for a regular person. Square City, man. The Feds are probably funding it!

a reply to: woodwardjnr

The whole thing is a Cointel-like exercise as far as I can tell.

Cops at a stoner festival? Color ME surprised! /sarc

a reply to: IridiumFlareMadness

You've never been or tried to go to Burning Man have you?

originally posted by: IridiumFlareMadness
Burning Man is far from just some naked stoners in the desert. It's basically play time for the filthy rich. And the rules one must go by to be there are very strict and enough to assure a paranoid, unfun time for a regular person. Square City, man. The Feds are probably funding it!

Uh...

I know a guy that's practically homeless and saves up all year from the odd jobs he does to go to Burning Man. That's all he does, prepare all year for the next burn.

Sure, there are some rich people there -- but it's not quite what you describe. The "rules" so to speak aren't that odd. The biggest one is no money is to be exchanged.