US Universities Under Surveillance: How Fusion Centers Target Pro-Palestine Activists
Fusion centers, a network of law enforcement agencies designed to facilitate intelligence sharing between federal, state, and local authorities, have become a tool for universities to surveil and silence pro-Palestine student activists. These centers, established in the aftermath of 9/11, were initially intended to prevent future terror attacks by pooling information from various sources.
However, documents obtained through public records requests reveal that fusion centers are also being used to monitor peaceful demonstrations on university campuses. At least five universities across the US have been identified as having fusion center connections, with OSU in Ohio and Cal Poly Humboldt in California being among them.
A tip-off from an Ohio fusion center led to a warning about a pro-Palestine demonstration at Ohio State University, prompting the police department to assemble an operations plan and shut down the event. Thirty-six protesters were arrested that night, sparking concerns about the use of counterterrorism intelligence-sharing hubs to surveil and suppress student activism.
Experts warn that the proliferation of fusion centers has contributed to a "scope creep" in mass surveillance, allowing for broader and more intricate monitoring of American citizens under the guise of national security. The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Rory Mir notes that "between AI assessments of online speech, the swirl of reckless data sharing from fusion centers, and often opaque campus policies, it's a recipe for disaster."
University administrators have been accused of using federal surveillance as a pretext to crack down on pro-Palestine student activism. At Cal Poly Humboldt, the university president tapped into the local Fusion Center to assist with investigative measures against students who occupied a building. The FBI also provided warrants for the search and seizure of devices.
The normalization of intelligence sharing between campus police departments and federal agencies has created a culture of fear among pro-Palestine activists. As Tariq Kenney-Shawa, Al-Shabaka's US policy fellow, notes, "We are up against repressive forces that have always been there, but have never been this advanced."
Critics argue that universities have a duty to protect their students' rights and freedoms, including those guaranteed under the First Amendment. The use of fusion centers to surveil student activism is seen as a threat to civil liberties and an example of how law enforcement agencies can be co-opted by universities to silence dissent.
As the Trump administration's authoritarian tactics become more brazen, concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and the rise of surveillance states are growing. The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments and billionaire oligarchs, but warns that the current situation in the US is particularly concerning.
"It's even worse than we thought," reads a headline on The Intercept's website. "Court orders are being ignored... News outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or put under investigation." As readers, they urge support for independent journalism and democracy.
Fusion centers, a network of law enforcement agencies designed to facilitate intelligence sharing between federal, state, and local authorities, have become a tool for universities to surveil and silence pro-Palestine student activists. These centers, established in the aftermath of 9/11, were initially intended to prevent future terror attacks by pooling information from various sources.
However, documents obtained through public records requests reveal that fusion centers are also being used to monitor peaceful demonstrations on university campuses. At least five universities across the US have been identified as having fusion center connections, with OSU in Ohio and Cal Poly Humboldt in California being among them.
A tip-off from an Ohio fusion center led to a warning about a pro-Palestine demonstration at Ohio State University, prompting the police department to assemble an operations plan and shut down the event. Thirty-six protesters were arrested that night, sparking concerns about the use of counterterrorism intelligence-sharing hubs to surveil and suppress student activism.
Experts warn that the proliferation of fusion centers has contributed to a "scope creep" in mass surveillance, allowing for broader and more intricate monitoring of American citizens under the guise of national security. The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Rory Mir notes that "between AI assessments of online speech, the swirl of reckless data sharing from fusion centers, and often opaque campus policies, it's a recipe for disaster."
University administrators have been accused of using federal surveillance as a pretext to crack down on pro-Palestine student activism. At Cal Poly Humboldt, the university president tapped into the local Fusion Center to assist with investigative measures against students who occupied a building. The FBI also provided warrants for the search and seizure of devices.
The normalization of intelligence sharing between campus police departments and federal agencies has created a culture of fear among pro-Palestine activists. As Tariq Kenney-Shawa, Al-Shabaka's US policy fellow, notes, "We are up against repressive forces that have always been there, but have never been this advanced."
Critics argue that universities have a duty to protect their students' rights and freedoms, including those guaranteed under the First Amendment. The use of fusion centers to surveil student activism is seen as a threat to civil liberties and an example of how law enforcement agencies can be co-opted by universities to silence dissent.
As the Trump administration's authoritarian tactics become more brazen, concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and the rise of surveillance states are growing. The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments and billionaire oligarchs, but warns that the current situation in the US is particularly concerning.
"It's even worse than we thought," reads a headline on The Intercept's website. "Court orders are being ignored... News outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or put under investigation." As readers, they urge support for independent journalism and democracy.
just read about the US universities being surveilled by fusion centers 
and I'm totally blown away 
. like what's next? are our students gonna be monitored 24/7 
?! it's so crazy that they're using this tactic to silence pro-Palestine activists 
. we need to stand up for our rights & freedoms, especially when it comes to free speech 
. universities should be a safe space for all students, not just those who agree with the admin 
. fusion centers are basically tools of mass surveillance 
. Like, what's next? Using drones to track down students who just wanna express their opinions online 
.
Like, how far are we gonna take this before it becomes an Orwellian nightmare? 
just saw this article about US universities being surveilled by fusion centers targeting pro-Palestine activists 
universities have a duty to protect their students' rights & freedoms, especially under the 1st amendment 
and independent journalism 
I'm so freaked out by this news about US universities using fusion centers to surveil pro-Palestine activists on campus! It's like, what's next? They'll be monitoring our online activity too 
Can you believe it? US universities under surveillance like a real-life episode of "Minority Report" 
Fusion centers are like the campus police's best friend who always keeps an eye on you, even when you're just talking about Palestine 
. What's next? They'll be monitoring your TikTok videos too 
? Just kidding (kind of). Seriously though, this is super creepy and a huge threat to free speech and student rights. Universities are supposed to be safe spaces for learning and discussion, not police state watchbases 
this is getting crazy! fusion centers are supposed to prevent terrorism but instead they're being used to silence student activists who just want to make their voices heard 
because already we've got algorithms assessing our speech and now this... it's like we're living in a real-life sci-fi movie 
. Experts are right, this is a recipe for disaster - we need to protect free speech on campuses 
. Can't let universities become mini-Gestapo 
.
! Like, US universities using fusion centers to surveil pro-Palestine activists? That's straight up creepy 
. I mean, what's next? They're gonna start monitoring everyone on campus just because they're wearing a "Free Palestine" t-shirt 
? 
. What even is the First Amendment for if not to protect freedom of speech? 
. We need to keep an eye on this stuff, folks! 
it's like the gov is trying to chill free speech on campus, you know? and universities are basically just going along with it because of all the "national security" mumbo jumbo 
. We need to be careful about who's watching our backs and making sure we're not losing our civil liberties in the process 
...
