Last updated 2024 June 14.
People in our movements are right to be concerned about surveillance and infiltration. At the same time, it’s been my experience that they often don’t have a fact-based understanding of what it actually looks like.
I really believe that the best way to protect yourself is by understanding the recent histories of your particular region and the different police agencies there. You can use that information to threat model. The No Trace Project (consider using Tor!) is an amazing project I really recommend. It compiles resources both on known threats and what you can do about them.
This list is, as the title says, specific to Ontario. I hope to update it semi-regularly as I discover more texts, but no guarantees there.
Infiltration
Matt Cicero, “Infiltrated! How to prevent political police from undermining grassroots solidarity.” 2017 May 1, Briarpatch Magazine.
G20 & Indigenous solidarity / Ottawa / 2010
Tim Groves, “Living Among Us: Activists speak out on police infiltration.” 2011 July 1, Briarpatch Magazine.
G20 / Southern Ontario / 2010
Tom Keefer, “Organizing Against the G20 in Toronto: Interview with Mandy Hiscocks.” 2010, No Trace Project. (print)
G20 / Southern Ontario / 2010
Mariful Alam & Matt Cicero, “Political Policing and the Surveillance Matrix: Reflections for Organizers.” 2019 January 6, Upping the Anti.
G20 / Ottawa & Southern Ontario / 2010
Anonymous, Toronto G20 Main Conspiracy Group: The Charges and How They Came To Be. 2012, No Trace Project. (print)
G20 / Southern Ontario / 2010
Kate, Merle, Rachel & Sam, Damage Control: the story of how one activist group kept ourselves safe and strong in the face of movement infiltration. Summer 2018, Mining Injustice Solidarity Network.
Anti-colonialism / Toronto / 2014
Anonymous, “There Are Cops on Your Facebook (yes, even in Hamilton) – “Sam Brown” is one of them.” 2016 April 21, Fuck the Hamilton Police.
General / Hamilton / 2016
Anonymous, “Shane: an undercover cop in Hamilton, ON.” 2018 September 6, Fuck the Hamilton Police.
Locke Street / Hamilton / 2018
Surveillance
Anonymous, “Details of Police Surveillance Targetting Wet’suwet’en Solidarity Organizing.” 2020 August 20, Fuck the Hamilton Police.
Anti-colonialism / Southern Ontario / 2020
Anonymous, “Hamilton: If the OPP Come Knocking: Info about Police Harassment.” 2020 August 14, Fuck the Hamilton Police.
General / Hamilton / 2020
Anonymous, “Our Own ‘Urban Legends’.” Fuck the Hamilton Police.
General / Hamilton & Southern Ontario / no date