DOJ Indicts Members Of Left Wing Groups In ‘Foreign Malign Influence Campaigns’ For Russia – ‘An Absolutely Remarkable – And Chilling – Indictment’ That Criminalizes Speech Says Journalist

The U.S. Department of Justice published on Tuesday a statement that a grand jury upheld their charges that “four U.S. citizens and three Russian nationals with working on behalf of the Russian government…to conduct a multi-year foreign malign influence campaign in the United States.” The statement accused four US nationals belonging to the African People’s Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement (ASAP) of being “illegal agents” of the Russian government for apparently coordinating their anti-Ukraine sentiment with a Russian national whose organization is funded by the Russian government.

Glenn Greenwald, a journalist and a left-wing critic of the American national security state, reacted by posting a series of tweets. One relayed that he thought that this was “an absolutely remarkable – and chilling – indictment. Several American black leftist groups and activists are being charged with felonies for posting memes and other political content against the war in Ukraine, protesting racial injustice: allegedly on behalf of Russia.”

This is an absolutely remarkable – and chilling – indictment. Several American black leftist groups and activists are being charged with felonies for posting memes and other political content against the war in Ukraine, protesting racial injustice: allegedly on behalf of Russia: https://t.co/SQ1K1VZG1v

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 19, 2023

He further tweeted that “Here’s one of the leaders of one of the groups who is now indicted, Omali Yeshitela of @_InPDUM [International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement], speaking at a ‘Peace in Ukraine’ rally last month. Criminalizing speech is becoming increasingly common by claiming the speech serves Russia’s interests.” 

Here's one of the leaders of one of the groups who is now indicted, Omali Yeshitela of @_InPDUM, speaking at a "Peace in Ukraine" rally last month.

Criminalizing speech is becoming increasingly common by claiming the speech serves Russia's interests:https://t.co/i9kmkLYykr

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 19, 2023

In the video attached to that tweet, Mr. Yeshitela said about the allegations that “on July 29th at 5 o’clock in the morning- pre-dawn- an army of assault weapons touting…military forces identifying themselves as the FBI attacked my home. They used flash bang grenades, armored vehicles- they threatened my life and threatened my wife- they used drones.”

He continued by saying that “[t]his was in St. Louis, Missouri…at the same time on the white side of St. Louis, they attacked our…solidarity movement and they used battering rams also there…They [the FBI] declared that…despite the fact that I have been opposed to every predatory war that the United States [has waged]…They have declared that black people are so stupid it takes Russians to tell us that we are oppressed…They are saying that we are agents of some foreign power because we say black people must be free…”

Mr. Yeshitela further noted in his 7-minute and thirty-second speech that “They are charging me with the same thing that they charged W.E.B. Du Bois [a 19th and 20th-century Pan-Africanist] within 1951” and promised to make his trial about his cause and to put his accusers themselves as it were on trial.

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Glenn Greenwald claimed that the Instagram page of one of the groups indicted for being criminal agents of Russia shows “content… you’d expect from American Black leftist/socialists, including attacks on Biden for the war, anti-DNC stuff, and #BLM cases.”

He further proclaimed in a Twitter thread that “There is absolutely a campaign long underway to criminalize dissent in the US. As long as you stay within mainstream limits – what Obama called ‘within the 40-yard lines’ — you’re fine. What’s criminalized are anti-establishment voices: right or left. All this is independent of the fact that the US not only does exactly what these indictments claim Russia (and China) do, but far more extreme. The US funds dissident groups in many nations, creates fake internets to destabilize, etc. You’d think reporters would mention this.”

All this is independent of the fact that the US not only does exactly what these indictments claim Russia (and China) do, but far more extreme. The US funds dissident groups in many nations, creates fake internets to destabilize, etc. You'd think reporters would mention this: pic.twitter.com/Lgjle6nI0X

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 19, 2023