What is so important to the United States that it’s willing to violate the rights of its own citizens? 

If you answered “advancing its imperial interests” you’d be correct! The US government has illegally spied on its own citizens for years through Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and now, pro-Palestine protesters are especially at risk of being subjected to this surveillance. 

👉 Tell Congress: No to Surveillance! No to Section 702!

Section 702 is up for renewal on April 19, and we need to demand Congress heavily reform it to ensure the privacy of Americans is protected or throw it away entirely. This is extremely crucial as we witness mass mobilizations for Palestine across the US and an equivalent crackdown on advocates for Palestine. In a closed door meeting, House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner showed slides of pro-Palestine protesters as a means of advocating for the renewal of Section 702. If illegally spying on Americans is not a main function of Section 702, then why would Americans expressing their first amendment rights be used as an example of who this surveillance could target? The US government has a stake in suppressing the movement against Israel’s US-backed genocide campaign in Gaza, and they will use Section 702 to make it happen. 

Despite these intimidation tactics, we will not allow the movement for Palestinian liberation to be squashed. We will continue to demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the end of US arms sales to Israel, and a free Palestine!

👉 Make our demands clear and tell Congress: Ensure the privacy of Americans is protected or throw Section 702 away! Sign the petition and send a letter!

Section 702 was adopted post 9/11 and, on paper, helps the US government monitor “foreign terrorists” by authorizing the collection of the private communications of foreigners located outside of America, but in practice it allows federal agents to search through the phone calls, emails, and text messages of American citizens without a warrant. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, over 200,000 of these warrantless searches of Americans’ private communications are conducted a year. 

The most dangerous aspect of Section 702 is how easily it can be manipulated. This is especially concerning considering organizers for Palestine are already being visited by federal agents and doxxed online. Section 702's renewal will only serve to escalate attempts to shut down advocacy for Palestine.

👉 Sign our petition to Congress to say no to surveillance!

We will not allow policies like Section 702 to stop-or even slow down-our organizing. In fact, take this as an opportunity to be even more visible in your support for Palestine! You can easily incorporate this in your day-to-day by wearing clothing or holding signs that express your opposition to Israel's genocide campaign in Gaza. Talk to people you meet to help grow this movement because there's strength in numbers. Encourage a friend to join you and commit to being in action for Palestine daily! Respond to this email with photos of you and your friends bringing the movement with you everywhere you go, and we will share them to inspire others to follow your lead!

It's up to us to show that advocacy for Palestine is not going anywhere, so let's grab our keffiyehs and signs, and go out there and do it. 

👉 Keep taking action:

• Tell Congress: Pledge to Vote No on Supplemental $$$ to Israel!
• Take action daily for Palestine!
• Directly support families in need in Gaza!
• Pass a ceasefire resolution in your city with this toolkit!
• Check out our BDS toolkit!
• Join us on 3/25 for the next Missing Peace Monday Community Call!
• Support our work! 

Towards Peace,
Nour and the entire CODEPINK team

P.S. Join us for the United National Antiwar Coalition Conference in April!

P.P.S. Order our "Feminists Stand for Peace" t-shirt!