Subject: Reports of "Raid" on 2600 Washington Meeting 11/09/92 From: newsbytes@clarinet.com Date: 9 Nov 92 20:51:16 GMT WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1992 NOV 9 (NB) -- The publisher of a well-known hacker magazine claims a recent meeting attended by those interested in the issues his magazine raises was disrupted by threats of arrest by security and Arlington, Virginia police officers. Eric Corley, also known as "Emmanuel Goldstein," editor and publisher of "2600 Magazine: The Hacker Quarterly," told Newsbytes that the meeting was held November 6th at the Pentagon City Mall outside Washington, DC was disrupted and material was confiscated in the raid. 2600 Magazine promotes monthly meetings of hackers, press, and other interested parties throughout the country. The meetings are held in public locations on the first Friday evening of the month and the groups often contact each other by telephone during the meetings. Corley told Newsbytes that meetings were held that evening in New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Cambridge, St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Corley said, "While I am sure that meetings have been observed by law enforcement agencies, this is the only time that we have been harassed. It is definitely a freedom of speech issue." According to Craig Neidorf, who was present at the meeting and was distributing applications for membership in Computer Professionals For Social Responsibility (CPSR), "I saw the security officers focusing on us. Then they started to come toward us from a number of directions under what seemed to be the direction of a person with a walkie-talkie on a balcony. When they approached, I left the group and observed the security personnel encircling the group of about 30 gatherers. The group was mainly composed of high school and college students. The guards demanded to search the knapsacks and bags of the gatherers. They confiscated material, including CPSR applications, a copy of Mondo 2000 (a magazine), and other material." He adds that the guards also confiscated film "from a person trying to take pictures of the guards. When a hacker called "HackRat" attempted to copy down the names of the guards, they took his pencil and paper." Neidorf continued, "I left to go outside and rejoined the group when they were ejected from the mall. The guards continued challenging the group and told them that they would be arrested if they returned. When one of the people began to take pictures of the guards, the apparent supervisor became excited and threatening but did not confiscate the film." Neidorf also said, "I think that the raid was planned. They hit right about 6:00 and they identified our group as "hackers" and said that they knew that this group met every month." Neidorf's story was supported by a Washington "hacker" called "Inhuman," who told Newsbytes, "I arrived at the meeting late and saw the group being detained by the guards. I walked along with the group as they were being ushered out and when I asked a person who seemed to be in authority his name, he pointed at a badge with his name written in script on it. I couldn't make out the name and, when I mentioned that to the person, he said 'If you can't read it, too bad.' I did read his name, 'C. Thomas,' from another badge." Inhuman also told Newsbytes that he was told by a number of people that the guards said that they were "acting on behalf of the Secret Service." He added, "I was also told that there were two police officers from the Arlington County Police present but I did not see them." Another attendee, Doug Luce, reports, "I also got to the DC meeting very late; 7:45 or so. It seemed like a coordinated harassment episode, not geared toward busting anyone, but designed to get people riled up, and maybe not come back to the mall." Luce adds that he overheard a conversation between someone who had brought a keyboard to sell. The person, he said, was harassed by security forces, one of whom said, "You aren't selling anything in my mall without a vendors permit!" Possible Secret Service involvement was supported by a 19 year-old college student known as the "Lithium Bandit," who told Newsbytes, "I got to the mall about 6:15 and saw the group being detained by approximately 5 Arlington County police and 5 security guards. When I walked over to see what was going on, a security guard asked me for an ID and I refused to show it, saying that I was about to leave. The guard said that I couldn't leave and told me that I had to see a police officer. When I did, the officer demanded ID and, when I once again refused, he informed me that I could be detained for up to 10 hours for refusing to produce identification. I gave in and produced my school ID which the police gave to the security people who copied down my name and social security number." Lithium Bandit continued, "When I asked the police what was behind this action, I was told that they couldn't answer but that 'the Secret Service is involved and we are within our rights doing this." The boy says he and others later went to the Arlington police station to get more information and were told only that there was a report of the use of a stolen credit card and two officers were sent to investigate. "They later admitted that it was 5 [officers]. While I was detained, I heard no mention of a credit card and there was no one arrested." Marc Rotenberg, director of CPSR's Washington office, told Newsbytes, "I have really no details on the incident yet but I am very concerned about the reports. Confiscation of CPSR applications, if true, is outrageous. I will find out more facts on Monday." Newsbytes was told by the Pentagon City Mall office that any information concerning the action would have to come from the director of security, Al Johnson, who was not available until Monday. The Arlington Country Police referred Newsbytes to a "press briefing recording" which had not been updated since the morning before the incident. Corley told Newsbytes, "There have been no reports of misbehavior by any of these people. They were obviously singled out because they were hackers. It's as if they were being singled out as an ethnic group. I admire the way the group responded -- in a courteous fashion. But it is inexcusable that it happened. I will be at the next Washington meeting to insure that it doesn't happen again." The manager of one of New York state's largest malls provided background information to Newsbytes on the rights of malls to police those on mall property, saying, "The primary purpose of a mall is to sell. The interior of the mall is private property and is subject to the regulations of the mall. The only requirement is that the regulations be enforced in an even-handed manner. I do not allow political activities in my mall so I could not make an exception for Democrats. We do allow community groups to meet but they must request space at least two weeks before the meeting and must have proper insurance. Our regulations also say that groups of more than 4 may not congregate in the mall." The spokeswoman added that mall security can ask for identification from those who violate regulations and that they may be barred from the mall for a period of 6 months. She added, "Some people feel that mall atriums and food courts are public space. They are not and the industry is united on this. If the malls were to receive tax benefits for the common space and public service in snow removal and the like, it could possibly be a public area but malls are taxed on the entire space and are totally private property, subject to their own regulations. If a group of 20 or more congregated in my mall, they would be asked to leave." (Barbara E. McMullen & John F. McMullen/19921107)