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Activism · FBI · History · Surveillance
Fifty years after their 1971 break-in of an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, anti-war activists Keith Forsyth and Bonnie Raines, members of the Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI, are being honored with a historical marker for exposing widespread government surveillance.
The group stole over 1,000 confidential documents, revealing the FBI's infamous COINTELPRO operation targeting figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. This event, preceding the Pentagon Papers, exposed J. Edgar Hoover's abuse of power and disregard for First Amendment rights.
The burglars maintained secrecy for years until the statute of limitations expired. The upcoming Sept.
1 commemoration, spearheaded by Kevin Tustin, includes speeches, a documentary screening, and a book signing, marking a shift in public perception from "criminals" to "heroes" for their role in fighting government overreach. The event serves as a reminder of past movements' successes and failures in driving social change.
