Today, two of our long term AMRA members were not just harassed by armed USFS agents, their civil rights were severely violated in the South Mother Lode of CA on an AMRA claim.
Not much gets us really, truly angry, this does.
I will outline exactly what happened on tomorrow’s radio program and let you know what we are going to do about it.
We’ll tell you this, they were mining and minding their own business on a validly held Federal Mining Claim and were approached by these two armed USFS agents who demanded ID’s be presented to them. When one of our members asked why and declined, one of the agents pulled a tazer and pointed it at our member. They stated they wanted to see who was in their forest and wanted to know if anyone had any outstanding warrants. There was no probable cause, there were no USFS violations, no Federal laws were broken, no county laws, no state laws, not even a hint of any law being broken.
Last time we checked the 4th Amendment is still in place isn’t it? Or has that been removed by Executive Order? You know, the one where it protects its citizens from unwarranted search and seizure. Not to mention the fact that these agents interrupted a mining operation. How about probable cause. Nobody has the right to approach anyone without just cause and demand ID. This is like driving down a gravel road on the way to Granma’s house, USFS slides their truck sideways in the road, pulls weapons on you because you are in “their” forest and demands that you show them ID, just so they can know who you are.
Intimidation, threats, harassment, civil rights violations…..shall we go on? They demanded to know who’s claim it was and when they told the agents it was an AMRA claim and they were members, they wanted that ID. One of the members had their old card (they renewed and had the new card in their truck) which was expired and the agents told them it was invalid. So the USFS is now enforcing AMRA’s memberships?
There is much more here folks, tune in tomorrow and hear the whole story. The web-radio broadcast information is listed on the post below this one.
Frankly, I am royally pissed and trust us folks, this just moved to the very top of our list.
Where is the date of this post is it recent
From my understanding it was on the 25th of January, 2015.
I’d like to know which claim this gregarious action happened.
It could have been January 23?
It happened on Ratchilla’s Ravine in Mariposa county
I do hope someone has reported this action to superiors in the agency (in writing), to establish a chain of evidence/documentation for the denials which are sure to follow….. This must not be allowed to continue.