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Reviewed by Toronto Media Co-op editors. copyeditedfact checked [?]

Blogger Arrested After Post on G20 "Infiltrator"

by Tim Groves

Dan Kellar
Dan Kellar

On August 25th, independent journalist, blogger, and activist Dan Kellar was arrested for a blog post he made two days earlier in which he named and provided a photo of a man he claimed to be an undercover police officer involved in infiltrating G20 protest groups and encouraged readers to "spit in his footsteps and scoff at his existence". 

The post on Kellar's blog peaceculture.org reported a sighting of the man in Toronto, and spoke about in a derogatory fashion. It also named a woman widely believed in activist circles as having been an undercover police infiltrator. In the blog post Kellar put both names in quotes and preceeed them with the term "so-called," implicating these were not their legal names. The post was removed from the site as a condition of Kellar's release. He is also to stay at least 500 metres away from the two people who were named in his post.  

 

 

 

Kellar was pulled over and arrested by the OPP's Anti-Rackets Branch, while driving in, Kitchener, Ontario, where he lives. According to a press release put out by the Community Solidarity Network (CSN), the same branch of the OPP was involved in arresting several people on G20 related charges, six of whom were members of the group Anti-War at Laurier (AW@L), a group that Kellar is also a member of.  

According to a press release put out by the CSN, Kellar "was charged with 2 counts of unlawfully publishing materials that are likely to injure the reputation of an undercover officer in a way that is designed to insult the officer (also known as criminal defamation), and one count of counselling his blog followers to commit the indictable offence of assault which offence was not committed (also known as counsel to assault)." 

A document released by the RCMP through Access to Information legislation indicated that there were twelve officers who were involved with infiltrating activists' groups ahead of the G20. Many activists are convinced they know who many of these police officers are. However, due in part to legal concerns, the only two who have been named in public venues are the two in Kellar's post.    

Over a year ago these two people were previously accused in of being police officers on the blog snitchwire. This site keeps a list of suspected police informants and undercover infiltrators. The authors of the site are anonymous and the site, which is hosted on Google's "Blogger," has not been taken down from the Internet. The posts on these two individuals are still on the site.  

Emily Slofstra, a supporter of Kellar, told the Toronto Media Co-op that police infiltrators "ruin communities", adding there is "lots more stress, it is hard to know who you can trust and who you can not". 

According to the CSN press release the lead officer in the arrest, OPP Detective-Sergeant John Vanden Heuvel, "threatened to track down and arrest anyone who reposted the message" that had been posted on the peaceculture.org blog.

            

                                                                       ~      ~      ~

 

UPDATE: Aaron Lakoff has upload an interview he recorded with Dan Kellar it can be found at http://www.mediacoop.ca/audio/interview-dan-kellar-independent-journalist-arrested-blog-post/8068

 

Tim Groves is an investigative journalist based in Toronto. To follow his work and receive infrequent email announcments you can fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dHNYN0VxcGhTY0ljMXVTT3N1X0xKakE6MQ#gid=0

 

 


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Comments

Outrageous how this

Submitted by Anony mouse in Toronto (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2011 - 11:41.

Outrageous how this works...

I think we should ingage in mass-outing of infiltrators. Several people could gather in one place, all hold up large pics of verified infiltrators (in-fill traitors?)  with names clearly indicated.

Threatening the public for sharing info?

Submitted by An0nymouss (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2011 - 14:39.

Its most interesting that they are "threatening" to arrest people for sharing information...

So they are saying we cannot share information because they dont want us to? Since when do they make the laws? I thought they just enforce them?? They are allowed to tell us "you cant" share that post?... but what if the post was rewritten in a less harsh manner and simply identified the person as someone simply not to associate with? Would they still be arrested?

What if a thousand people shared that post? Will there be a mass arrest alike the G20?
What if a whole community shared that post because it affected their neighbourhood?
Would you arrest the whole community?

How far does that power go? How far will they go to protect a lie???
Obviously, they are publicly stating: We will take your FREEDOM to keep our lie in place...

This should be a wake up call for people, that their lies and more important than your freedom of speech.... and the truth.

'Cause in truth, undercover police are just professional liars paid to infiltrate aspects of society. Dan sought to share the truth and expose a liar, and for this, he goes punished? ...

Doesnt seem like justice at all...

Re: this article

Submitted by Anyonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/30/2011 - 18:15.

It's a good thing to out infiltrators in regards to the G20 protest and targeting activist organizations. This whole debacle is completely shameful. However, in the case of bringing down gangs and criminal organizations, undercover agents do very important work. In Toronto for instance undercover officers have been used for mass arrests of gangs and criminal organizations many times in recent years. That sort of undercover work shouldn't be condemned.

Seriously

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Fri, 09/02/2011 - 18:04.

Since when is it "so threatening" - as in comparison to a "gang" to have antiwar groups that are peaceful? If they want to do some good, undercover police persons should stick to what the real threat is. 

shame

Submitted by Dougie (not verified) on Wed, 08/31/2011 - 11:04.

Arrested for a blog post.....
Who polices the police?

Dan Kellar story

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 16:12.

Can you fact-check your statement that he "named" the officer? To my knowledge the blog entry by Dan Kellar provided only the false name of the officer in question.  It did not out the officer other than providing a photo of the officer while in undercover. 

The purpose of the blog entry, it would seem, was to warn activists that these false identities were still present on Facebook.  Not to out the officers.

 

 

Clarifying and explaining

Submitted by Tim Groves on Fri, 09/02/2011 - 10:56.

Hmmm, interesting point. To provide more clarity I have added a sentence to the story. I would also like to explain my thinking on this matter. 

It is tricky to write about undercover officers because there can be legal constraints that make independently verifying your story quite difficult. In writing the story I chose not to make any conclusions about if the people Kellar named were or were not undercover officers. I trust that readers can draw their own conclusions. 

Having not weighed in on that first point, I didn't tackle the matter of if the names provided in the post were legal names or just the names they were known by. I also unable to verify this point either way.

In creating the story I used an internet research technique to retrieve a copy of the blog post, even though it had been deleted. After reading the above post I decided to review the post from peaceculture.org. In rereading it I noticed Kellar referes to two people in his post but clearly uses the words "so-called" before each name and put those names in quotation marks. This does implicate that Kellar was implying these were not infact their legal names, and I have added a sentence to the story that explains this.

I hope that clears up any confusion.   

To respond to the second paragraph Facebook was not mentioned anywhere in the blog post.

The police are most certainly

Submitted by JahJah (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 05:16.

The police are most certainly over-stepping their authority here. I can understand legitimate "undercover" work that infiltrates known criminal networks engaging in serious crime, however, I think its important to follow the definition of serious crime to discern what "groups" or networks can be legitimitely targeted. A peaceful activist group is not a syndicate of mafia hench men and so the protection of law cannot be relied upon by the police when they are caught snooping and/or inciting trouble that will go against the activist group - unless they can provide evidence that the peaceful activist group was a legitimate target.

From what I have read it appears the authorities over there are making it up as they go along because they can. It's much the same here in the UK and the US, particularly when it involves law enforcement agencies and military, they do what they want because there is no one policing them. Look at the huge scandal of Jean Charles de Menezes, Private Bradley Manning etc...

It is interesting that the

Submitted by webweave (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 11:12.

It is interesting that the police will use laws and police resources created to fight organized crime against peace groups. Can the police be charge for reckless enforcement? After all the stories of "agent provocateurs" you'd think the people would wise up that the police are being corrupted to harrass non-violent groups for purely political reasons.

  

oh right, and yet you're a

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 19:10.

oh right, and yet you're a 'paranoid conspiracy theorist' if you talk of agent provocateurs right?

 

If you're not paranoid yet you aren't really paying attention, are you? All you read about nowadays is police abusing their power & over stepping their bounds no one seems to give a shit.

Gestapo

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 20:55.

This is anti-Canadian! This cop, "Vanden Heuvel" making the statement, he will track down and arrest anyone who reposts should be ashamed of himself! He's got the "US vs THEM" mentality. He does'nt realize these scum-bags don't give a crap about him either and are just using him to do their dirty work. Just another useful idiot! Friggen NAZI!!!!!

Just Have Someone in USA Post the Names

Submitted by Tom Lowe (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2011 - 22:33.

We still have First Amendment rights in USA so just give those habitually lying pigs' names to someone in the USA to post online.  That will quickly end one Zio-Canuckistan oppression problem amongst many.  Also, note who got arrested and watch him get off very lightly.  But if YOU get arrested for it later, you will really get screwed.  That's why this whole thing is going on--to set precedent and establish the right to screw over Canadians for exposing criminal oppression committed by the same evil habitually lying pigs.  So--send those names to someone in USA or somewhere else and tell the evil Zio-Canuckistan Pigs Of Oppression "Ya can't touch dis!"

Here is a video of Agent Provacateurs in action

Submitted by Fuck Violent Agent Provacateurs (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 00:55.

Dan Kellar is a hero, and a victim of the Harper Regime's stooges

Inciting violence and inciting a riot are criminal offences in Canada. So why are these undercover scumbags not being charged? Some good person will probably have to do a private prosecution and bring them before a judge so they face justice. I believe Dan will win when he has his day in court, and he will humiliate these blowhards who have accused him.

No wonder so many people hate these stinky dick-cheeses who try to undermine perfectly legal freedom of assembly and freedom of expression...

..Here is a good expose' with video links  

Video one shows a peaceful union member confronting violent undercover scum, and preventing them from throwing rocks to incite a riot.  A GREAT VIDEO !!!  All the pics and videos are great. 

The whole article makes me believe that this whole "Black Bloc" is just a false-flag creation of the disgusting Harper Regime and his undercover dickwads.

That link is a joke-- troll!

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Fri, 09/09/2011 - 09:03.

This hilarious link keeps on appearing around the web with wack comments to follow.  This whole "expose" on how all those shoes look the same is a laugh, they aren't even the same shoes, as if that mattered.  This article was not suggesting in the least that pigs create the black bloc but there sure are a lot of commenting trolls who are asserting this silly idea.

The problem with these pig infiltrators is not that they supposedly "incite violence" it is that they embed themselves within our communities long term which is such an intrusion to the lives of activists and organizers who are causing no harm to anyone. 

infiltraitors

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 01:08.

To these facist officers.....fair game!  To the protestors....fight for this man's Cosmic freedome of speech or you will be next!  Do you Canucks live in East Germany or what the fuck!

 

infiltraitors

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 01:08.

To these facist officers.....fair game!  To the protestors....fight for this man's Cosmic freedome of speech or you will be next!  Do you Canucks live in East Germany or what the fuck!

 

Secret police agents ruin the community

Submitted by Gordon Logan (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 01:19.

Police agents have penetrated my family to the gills. Sooner or later it becomes a nightmare because typically they become lovers or spouses and destroy the family's cohesion. They  become very aggressive if they hear a hint of your suspicions. Typically they use the opportunity to make a 'him or me'  ultimatum. 

"was charged with 2 counts of

Submitted by simon (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 02:34.

"was charged with 2 counts of unlawfully publishing materials that are likely to injure the reputation of an undercover officer"

As they are investigating people who hold alterative political views and not active criminals they are not 'undercover officers', nor 'infiltrators'. They are the Secret Police.

Now what sort of country has Secret Police?

G20 "Infiltrator"

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 15:39.

When you know you have an agent provocateur in your midst, which it has been shown that these people are, crack an egg full of indellible ink on them in a conspicuous place, so when they get back into uniform they won't be able to hide. Tag 'em like they do cattle. Let the taxpayers SEE what their money is getting them in what has become a joke to call the "serve and protect" crowd.

NWO

Submitted by AnonymousinUSA (not verified) on Sun, 09/04/2011 - 18:35.

Forgive me for imagining that Canada was still somewhat of a bastion of sanity- obviously I haven't been following developments such as these. As a US citizen now I don't know where I'll run when it hits the fan over here. Perhaps I'll just learn to love the worldwide police state?

Police undercover infiltrators

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Tue, 09/06/2011 - 00:24.

In Quebec, a number of undercover police agents were actually provocateurs attempting to incite violence to allow for the brutal tactics the police like to use against protestors. These men were caught but this kind of law forbidding the naming of undercover police prevents the bad ones from being dealt with before they create mayhem.

2 people named, 2 charges...

Submitted by Anonymous in Toronto (not verified) on Wed, 09/14/2011 - 18:21.

Considering the blog named the two people who were previously outed on the snitchwire site and there are now two charges against Mr. Keller, I'd say that any doubt to the role these two played has been removed.

 

Unortunaly UCs aren't the only danger. Now you just need to start looking at who's recog conditions and sentances don't quite match up to their charges or legal situation when they got arrested... When someone who's already on release conditions gets picked up during a protest and is released with the most lienient conditions of all their co-accused, then gets off ahead of their co-accused with only a suspended sentance, that should raise some eyebrows.

 

 

fuck you snitchjacketer

Submitted by Dan Kellar on Fri, 09/16/2011 - 09:10.

 

first up spell my name right, 2nd, stop snitchjacketing unless you want to drop us some evidence.

 

my eyebrows are raised at

Submitted by Dan Kellar on Fri, 09/16/2011 - 09:37.

my eyebrows are raised at snitchjacketers, cops, and icecream trucks in cambridge.  reasonable deals for absurd charges is not an indication of working with the pigs.  it is an indication of knowing how to carry on your struggle.

stop wasting time.

Submitted by Dan Kellar on Fri, 09/16/2011 - 09:35.

also, the people on the street in toronto did not need cops to be provocateurs, as we can see around the world, neoliberal austerity, colonialism and imperialism, and dictatorships, have pissed everyone off and people are rioting and revolting everywhere.

the toronto g20 may have seen harper facilitate austerity, but the rage on the streets there was just a hint of what was to come, and a glimpse of what was already happening in greece.

but please, stop this conspiracy shit.  it is a waste of all our time.  the rage of the movement should not be cast aside as pig provocateurs, it is hurtful to a necessary segement of our allies.  even if the cops were provocateurs, even if al-qaeda troops are fighting with NATO forces (not at all conspiracy, but please get my larger point), even if wtc #7 was pulled and 9/11 was an inside job, even if "they" killed JFK - what does it all point to.  this system and its governments are corrupt and need to end.   perfect.   i'm already at that conclusion, as are most anarchists, most people fighting the g20 austerity policies, you know migrant justice warriors know it, and the Indigenous resurgence on this land sure as shit know this, they have known it for 515 years or so. the diggers knew it in 1649 - st george's hill.

lets just agree, all things that we say the government did that is bad, did happened.  lets say it all went down, every single conspiracy you can think of.  good, now lets act to end these heirarchal systems of  oppressive patriarchy, violent colonialism, and suicidal ecocide that allowed them to happen.

 

 

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