ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Will Potter - Investigative journalist
Award-winning journalist and author, Will Potter focuses on the animal rights and environmental movements, and civil liberties in the post-9/11 era.

Why you should listen

Independent journalist and TED Fellow Will Potter is based in Washington, D.C.; his current work examines how whistleblowers and non-violent protesters are being treated as terrorists.

The author of Green Is The New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege, Potter has extensively documented how non-violent protest is slowly being criminalized. His reporting and commentary have been featured in the world's top media outlets, including the Washington Post, NPR, Rolling Stone, El Pais, and Le Monde. He has testified before the U.S. Congress about his reporting, as the only witness opposing the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act -- and he is a plaintiff in the first lawsuits challenging so-called "ag-gag" laws as unconstitutional.

Will has also lectured at many universities and public forums about his work, including Georgetown University, Harvard Law School, and the House of Democracy and Human Rights in Berlin. International speaking tours have included Germany, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Spain, and he was the international guest lecturer for Australia's 2014 animal law lecture series.

His reporting has overturned criminal prosecutions, and it has both been praised in Congressional reports and monitored by the Counter-Terrorism Unit.

More profile about the speaker
Will Potter | Speaker | TED.com
TED2014

Will Potter: The shocking move to criminalize nonviolent protest

Will Potter: Det chokerende træk at kriminalisere ikke-voldelig protest

Filmed:
1,127,722 views

I 2002 besluttede opsøgende journalist og TED Fellow Will Potter sig for at tage en pause fra sin daglige trummerum - at skrive om skyderier og mord for The Chicago Tribune. Han gik ud for at hjælpe en lokal gruppe der førte kampagne imod dyreforsøg: "Jeg tænkte det ville være en sikker måde at gøre noget positivt," siger han. I stedet blev han arresteret, og således begyndtes hans løbende rejse ind i verden, hvor fredelig protest bliver brændemærket som terrorisme.
- Investigative journalist
Award-winning journalist and author, Will Potter focuses on the animal rights and environmental movements, and civil liberties in the post-9/11 era. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

Det var mindre end et år efter 11. september,
00:12
It was lessmindre than a yearår after SeptemberSeptember 11,
0
531
2576
00:15
and I was at the ChicagoChicago TribuneTribune
1
3107
1675
og jeg var på The Chicago Tribune,
00:16
writingskrivning about shootingsskyderier and murdersmord,
2
4782
1874
hvor jeg skrev om skyderier og mord,
00:18
and it was leavingforlader me feelingfølelse
3
6656
1462
og jeg endte med at føle mig
00:20
prettysmuk darkmørk and depresseddeprimeret.
4
8118
1782
temmelig mørk og deprimeret.
00:21
I had doneFærdig some activismaktivisme in collegekollegium,
5
9900
1582
Jeg havde lavet lidt aktivisme på universitet,
00:23
so I decidedbesluttede to help a locallokal groupgruppe
6
11482
1647
så jeg besluttede mig for at hjælpe en lokal gruppe
00:25
hanghænge doordør knockerspatter againstmod animaldyr testingtest.
7
13129
2709
med at hænge skilte mod dyreforsøg på dørhåndtag.
00:27
I thought it would be a safesikker way
8
15838
1507
Jeg tænkte det ville være en sikker måde
00:29
to do something positivepositiv,
9
17345
1882
at gøre noget positivt,
00:31
but of courseRute I have the absoluteabsolut worstværst luckheld ever,
10
19227
2566
men jeg har selvfølgelig det værste held nogensinde,
00:33
and we were all arrestedanholdt.
11
21793
2325
og vi blev alle arresteret.
00:36
PolicePolitiet tooktog this blurrysløret photoFoto of me
12
24118
2212
Politiet tog dette slørede billede af mig,
00:38
holdingbedrift leafletsbrochurer as evidencebeviser.
13
26330
3226
mens jeg holdte pjecer som bevis.
00:41
My chargesafgifter were dismissedafskediget,
14
29556
1864
Mine sigtelser blev frafaldet,
00:43
but a few weeksuger latersenere,
15
31420
1136
men få uger senere
00:44
two FBIFBI agentsmidler knockedbankede on my doordør,
16
32556
2037
bankede to FBI agenter på min dør,
00:46
and they told me that unlessmed mindre I helpedhjulpet them
17
34593
1761
og de fortalte mig, at medmindre jeg hjalp dem
00:48
by spyingspionage on protestprotest groupsgrupper,
18
36354
2101
ved at spionere mod protestgrupper,
00:50
they would put me on a domesticindenlandske terroristterrorist listliste.
19
38455
3817
så ville de sætte mig på en indenrigs terroristliste.
00:54
I'd love to tell you that I didn't flinchFlinch,
20
42272
2036
Jeg ville elske at fortælle jer, at jeg ikke fortrak en mine,
00:56
but I was terrifiedforskrækket,
21
44308
1991
men jeg var rædselsslagen,
00:58
and when my fearfrygt subsidedaftaget,
22
46299
1884
og da min frygt aftog,
01:00
I becameblev til obsessedbesat with findingfund out
23
48183
1917
blev jeg besat af at finde ud af,
01:02
how this happenedskete,
24
50100
1117
hvordan dette var sket,
01:03
how animaldyr rightsrettigheder and environmentalmiljømæssige activistsaktivister
25
51217
2178
hvordan dyrevelfærds- og miljøaktivister,
01:05
who have never injuredtilskadekomne anyonenogen som helst
26
53395
2214
som aldrig har skadet nogen,
01:07
could becomeblive the FBI'sFBIS numbernummer one
27
55609
1913
kunne blive FBIs største
01:09
domesticindenlandske terrorismterrorisme threattrussel.
28
57522
3204
indenrigs terrortrussel.
01:12
A few yearsflere år latersenere, I was invitedinviteret to testifyvidne
29
60726
1970
Få år senere, blev jeg inviteret til at afgive vidnesbyrd
01:14
before CongressKongressen about my reportingrapportering,
30
62696
2504
foran Kongressen om min rapportering,
01:17
and I told lawmakerslovgivere that, while everybodyalle
31
65200
1358
og jeg fortalte lovmagerne at, mens alle
01:18
is talkingtaler about going greengrøn,
32
66558
1725
taler om at blive grønne,
01:20
some people are riskingrisikere theirderes livesliv
33
68283
1538
så er der mennesker som risikere deres liv
01:21
to defendforsvare forestsskove and to stop oilolie pipelinesrørledninger.
34
69821
3512
for at forsvare skove og stoppe olierørledninger.
01:25
They're physicallyfysisk puttingsætte theirderes bodiesorganer on the linelinje
35
73333
2049
De sætter fysisk deres kroppe på spil
01:27
betweenmellem the whalers'hvalfangere' harpoonsharpuner and the whaleshvaler.
36
75382
3425
mellem hvalfangeres harpuner og hvalerne.
01:30
These are everydayhver dag people,
37
78807
1689
Dette er dagligdags mennesker,
01:32
like these protestersdemonstranter in ItalyItalien
38
80496
2086
som disse demonstranter i Italien
01:34
who spontaneouslyspontant climbedklatrede over
39
82582
2062
som spontant klatrede over
01:36
barbedpigtråd wiretråd fenceshegn to rescueredde beaglesBeagles
40
84644
2301
pigtrådshegn for at redde beagler
01:38
from animaldyr testingtest.
41
86945
2161
fra dyreforsøg.
01:41
And these movementsbevægelser have been incrediblyutroligt effectiveeffektiv
42
89106
2676
Og disse bevægelser har været ufatteligt effektive
01:43
and popularpopulær,
43
91782
1938
og populære,
01:45
so in 1985, theirderes opponentsmodstandere madelavet up a newny wordord,
44
93720
3861
så i 1985 fandt deres modstandere på et nyt ord,
01:49
eco-terroristEco-terror,
45
97581
1564
øko-terrorist,
01:51
to shiftflytte how we viewudsigt them.
46
99145
2124
for at ændre vores opfattelse af dem.
01:53
They just madelavet it up.
47
101269
1887
De fandt simpelthen på det.
01:55
Now these companiesvirksomheder have backedBacked newny lawslove
48
103156
2537
Disse selskaber har bakket op omkring nye love,
01:57
like the AnimalDyr EnterpriseEnterprise TerrorismTerrorisme ActAct,
49
105693
2739
såsom "The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act",
02:00
whichhvilken turnsdrejninger activismaktivisme into terrorismterrorisme
50
108432
2119
som forvandler aktivisme til terrorisme,
02:02
if it causesårsager a losstab of profitsoverskud.
51
110551
2768
hvis det skaber et tab af profit.
02:05
Now mostmest people never even heardhørt about this lawlov,
52
113319
2999
De fleste mennesker har overhovedet ikke hørt om denne lov,
02:08
includinginklusive membersmedlemmer of CongressKongressen.
53
116318
2126
inklusive medlemmer af Kongressen.
02:10
LessMindre than one percentprocent were in the roomværelse
54
118444
1911
Mindre end 1% var i lokalet
02:12
when it passedbestået the HouseHus.
55
120355
2460
da loven blev godkendt i Huset.
02:14
The resthvile were outsideuden for at a newny memorialmindesmærke.
56
122815
2903
Resten var udenfor ved et nyt monument.
02:17
They were praisingRose DrDr. KingKongen
57
125718
1661
De lovpriste Dr. King
02:19
as his stylestil of activismaktivisme was brandedmærkevarer as terrorismterrorisme
58
127379
3426
mens hans form for aktivisme blev mærket som terrorisme,
02:22
if doneFærdig in the namenavn of animalsdyr or the environmentmiljø.
59
130805
3651
hvis den blev udført for dyr eller miljøet.
02:26
SupportersTilhængere say lawslove like this are neededhavde brug for
60
134456
1937
Støtter siger love som denne er nødvendige
02:28
for the extremistsekstremister:
61
136393
1849
på grund af ekstremisterne:
02:30
the vandalsvandaler, the arsonistsbrandstiftere, the radicalsradikaler.
62
138242
2949
vandalerne, brandstifterne, de radikale.
02:33
But right now, companiesvirksomheder like TransCanadaTransCanada
63
141191
2262
Men lige nu orienterer selskaber som TransCanada
02:35
are briefingbriefing policepoliti in presentationspræsentationer like this one
64
143453
3325
politi ved præsentationer såsom denne
02:38
about how to prosecuteretsforfølge nonviolentikke-voldelige protestersdemonstranter
65
146778
2689
omkring, hvordan man retsforfølger ikke-voldelige demonstranter
02:41
as terroriststerrorister.
66
149467
2138
som terrorister.
02:43
The FBI'sFBIS traininguddannelse documentsDokumenter on eco-terrorismEco-terror
67
151605
3623
FBIs træningsdokumenter omkring øko-terrorisme
02:47
are not about violencevold,
68
155228
1551
handler ikke om vold,
02:48
they're about publicoffentlig relationsrelationer.
69
156779
2713
de handler om PR.
02:51
TodayI dag, in multiplemange countrieslande,
70
159492
1973
I dag, i flere lande,
02:53
corporationsselskaber are pushingat skubbe newny lawslove
71
161465
1488
presser virksomheder på for nye love,
02:54
that make it illegalulovlig to photographfotografi
72
162953
1714
der gør det ulovligt at fotografere
02:56
animaldyr crueltygrusomhed on theirderes farmsgårde.
73
164667
3260
dyremishandling på deres gårde.
02:59
The latestseneste was in IdahoIdaho just two weeksuger agosiden,
74
167927
2527
Det seneste foregik i Idaho for bare to uger siden,
03:02
and todayi dag we releasedudgivet a lawsuitretssag
75
170454
1773
og i dag indgav vi et søgsmål,
03:04
challengingudfordrende it as unconstitutionalforfatningsstridig
76
172227
1727
der udfordrer det som grundlovsstridigt
03:05
as a threattrussel to journalismjournalistik.
77
173954
2573
som en trussel mod journalistik.
03:08
The first of these ag-gagAG-gag prosecutionsretsforfølgning,
78
176527
2338
Den første af disse ag-gag retsforfølgelser,
03:10
as they're calledhedder,
79
178865
1435
som de kaldes,
03:12
was a youngung womankvinde namedsom hedder AmyAmy MeyerMeyer,
80
180300
1652
var en ung kvinde ved navn Amy Meyer,
03:13
and AmyAmy saw a sicksyg cowko beingvære movedflyttet
81
181952
1613
og Amy så en syg ko blive flyttet
03:15
by a bulldozerbulldozer outsideuden for of a slaughterhouseslagteri
82
183565
2549
med en bulldozer udenfor et slagtehus
03:18
as she was on the publicoffentlig streetgade.
83
186114
2414
da hun var på den offentlige vej.
03:20
And AmyAmy did what any of us would:
84
188528
2211
Og Amy gjorde hvad enhver af os ville have gjort:
03:22
She filmedfilmet it.
85
190739
1775
Hun filmede det.
03:24
When I foundfundet out about her storyhistorie, I wroteskrev about it,
86
192514
3049
Da jeg hørte om hendes historie skrev jeg om den,
03:27
and withininden for 24 hourstimer, it createdskabt suchsådan an uproartumult
87
195563
2925
og indenfor 24 timer havde det skabt sådan et tumult,
03:30
that the prosecutorsanklagere just droppeddroppet all the chargesafgifter.
88
198488
3250
at anklagerne simpelthen droppede alle anklager.
03:33
But apparentlytilsyneladende, even exposingudsætte stuffting og sager like that
89
201738
2018
Men åbenbart er bare det at afsløre sådanne ting
03:35
is a threattrussel.
90
203756
1820
en trussel.
03:37
ThroughGennem the FreedomFrihed of InformationOplysninger ActAct,
91
205576
1664
Igennem "The Freedom of Information Act",
03:39
I learnedlærte that the counter-terrorismbekæmpelse af terrorisme unitenhed
92
207240
1860
fandt jeg ud af, at kontra-terrorisme enheden
03:41
has been monitoringovervågning my articlesartikler
93
209100
2077
har overvåget mine artikler
03:43
and speechesindlæg like this one.
94
211177
2286
og taler - som den her.
03:45
They even includedinkluderet this nicepæn
little write-upskrive-up of my bookBestil.
95
213463
2226
De inkluderede endda den lille skrivelse om min bog.
03:47
They describedbeskrevet it as "compellingoverbevisende and well-writtenvelskrevet."
96
215689
3115
De beskrev den som "fængslende og velskrevet."
03:50
(ApplauseBifald)
97
218804
4721
(Bifald)
03:55
BlurbBagsidetekst on the nextNæste bookBestil, right?
98
223525
3235
Et citat til den næste bog, ik?
03:58
The pointpunkt of all of this is to make us afraidbange,
99
226760
3640
Meningen med alt dette er at gøre os bange,
04:02
but as a journalistjournalist, I have an unwaveringurokkelige faithtro
100
230400
1889
men som journalist har jeg en urokkelig tro
04:04
in the powerstrøm of educationuddannelse.
101
232289
1831
på uddannelsens kraft.
04:06
Our bestbedst weaponvåben is sunlightsollys.
102
234120
3567
Vores bedste våben er solskin.
04:09
DostoevskyDostojevskij wroteskrev that the wholehel work of man
103
237687
1887
Dostojevskij skrev, at menneskets hele arbejde
04:11
is to provebevise he's a man and not a pianoklaver keynøgle.
104
239574
3325
er at bevise, at han er en mand og ikke blot en klavertangent.
04:14
Over and over throughouthele vejen igennem historyhistorie,
105
242899
1562
Igen og igen igennem historien,
04:16
people in powerstrøm have used fearfrygt
106
244461
1988
har folk med magt brugt frygt
04:18
to silencestilhed the truthsandhed and to silencestilhed dissentuenighed.
107
246449
3799
til at fortie sandheden og fortie uenighed.
04:22
It's time we strikestrejke a newny noteBemærk.
108
250248
2039
Det er på tide at ramme en ny node.
04:24
Thank you.
109
252287
1975
Mange tak.
04:26
(ApplauseBifald)
110
254262
1854
(Bifald)
Translated by Troels Larsen
Reviewed by Anders Finn Jørgensen

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Will Potter - Investigative journalist
Award-winning journalist and author, Will Potter focuses on the animal rights and environmental movements, and civil liberties in the post-9/11 era.

Why you should listen

Independent journalist and TED Fellow Will Potter is based in Washington, D.C.; his current work examines how whistleblowers and non-violent protesters are being treated as terrorists.

The author of Green Is The New Red: An Insider's Account of a Social Movement Under Siege, Potter has extensively documented how non-violent protest is slowly being criminalized. His reporting and commentary have been featured in the world's top media outlets, including the Washington Post, NPR, Rolling Stone, El Pais, and Le Monde. He has testified before the U.S. Congress about his reporting, as the only witness opposing the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act -- and he is a plaintiff in the first lawsuits challenging so-called "ag-gag" laws as unconstitutional.

Will has also lectured at many universities and public forums about his work, including Georgetown University, Harvard Law School, and the House of Democracy and Human Rights in Berlin. International speaking tours have included Germany, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Spain, and he was the international guest lecturer for Australia's 2014 animal law lecture series.

His reporting has overturned criminal prosecutions, and it has both been praised in Congressional reports and monitored by the Counter-Terrorism Unit.

More profile about the speaker
Will Potter | Speaker | TED.com