Bank of America intelligence analyst shared Occupy DC info with police

Bank of America intelligence analyst shared Occupy DC info with police

‘They seemed pretty excited’

Written by
Edited by Tom Nash

Emails released by Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department about the Occupy Our Homes movement reveal frustration from one Bank of America intelligence analyst.

Occupy our Homes, a part of the Occupy movement that began in fall 2011, gained headlines as protesters fought back against home foreclosures across the country. Bank of America Senior U.S. Crime and Intelligence Analyst Amanda Velazquez offered weary commentary in an Occupy email she shared with MPD in September 2012.

The anniversary plans included two days of “plays, music, art, political discussions and general assemblies” in Freedom Plaza, according to the email Velazquez forwarded. The occupiers had been forcibly evicted by police in February 2012.

In the same email thread, Velazquez also gave her take on a protest by Occupy Our Homes against the impending eviction of Reverend Robert Michael Vanzant.

“On another note, the Occupy Our Homes action last week against our Home Loan office generated quite a buzz online. Occupy DC posted a new announcement calling for advocacy to keep the Reverend in his home. They provide the number to call that Home Loan office (202-797-4940) and urge everyone to call on his behalf. There is also an ongoing petition.”

She concludes: “Since the bank reached out, the push is now more aggressive…”

The emails released also include planning messages from Occupy our Homes organizers circulated between MPD officers, including the anniversary events and a protest in front of Fannie Mae’s national headquarters.

The emails were requested as a part of the File for Aaron project.

Read the full documents embedded below, or on the request page.


Image by Sutch via Wikimedia Commons and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0