-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Free Speech Battle at Seattle Independent Media Center, Gag Order Lifted Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 11:14 -0700 From: Jill Freidberg <freij at speakeasy.net>
APRIL 27: For Immediate Release: Seattle Independent Media Center 206-262-0721
**PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY** 1:00 pm 1415 3rd Ave, in downtown Seattle
Gag Order Lifted Independent Media Center in Free Speech Battle following FBI Visit
On the evening of Saturday, April 21, the Independent Media Center (IMC) in Seattle was served with a sealed court order by two FBI agents and a US Secret Service agent. The sealed order prevented the Independent Media Center from making any statement. IMC volunteers immediately solicited legal counsel to amend the order, and this morning, Magistrate Judge Monica Benton issued an amended order, freeing the IMC to discuss the situation without the threat of being held in contempt.
The original order directed the IMC to supply the FBI with "all user connection logs" for April 20 and 21st from the IMC’s web server. The order stated that this was part of an "ongoing criminal investigation" into acts that could constitute violations of Canadian law. The agents claimed that their investigation concerned the source of either one or two website posts which, they alleged, had been posted to an IMC newswire early Saturday morning. These posts, according to the agents, contained documents stolen from a Canadian government agency, including classified information related to the travel itinerary of George W. Bush (who was at that time in Quebec City, participating in Summit of the Americas meetings).
Although the agents were concerned with only two posts, the court order demands "all user connections logs" for a 48-hour period, which would include individual IP addresses for every person who posted materials to or visited the IMC site during the FTAA protests. The sealed court order also directed the IMC not to disclose "the existence of this Application or Order, or the existence of this investigation, unless or until ordered by this court."
As a news organization, we believe that the overwhelmingly broad and all-encompassing amount of information demanded by the FBI raises serious First Amendment issues. Furthermore, we believe the broad restrictions placed on the organization, by the sealed order, violate our constitutionally guaranteed First Amendment Rights. These factors raise the disturbing question of whether the order is calculated to discourage association with the IMC. No information regarding these alleged website posts was divulged to the federal authorities, because the IMC believes that it is constitutionally protected from having to release such information.
Now, free from restrictive court orders, the Seattle IMC will be able to cover this important story as it continues to unfold.