Guardian exposes domestic 'black site' in U.S.

It really says something about the 'normalization' of extrajudicial methods to "get the bad guy" when a major newspaper can run a story about domestic anti-terror 'black sites' being used to detain protestors and nobody even blinks an eye.

The Chicago police department operates an off-the-books interrogation compound, rendering Americans unable to be found by family or attorneys while locked inside what lawyers say is the domestic equivalent of a CIA black site.

The facility, a nondescript warehouse on Chicago’s west side known as Homan Square, has long been the scene of secretive work by special police units. Interviews with local attorneys and one protester who spent the better part of a day shackled in Homan Square describe operations that deny access to basic constitutional rights.

Alleged police practices at Homan Square, according to those familiar with the facility who spoke out to the Guardian after its investigation into Chicago police abuse, include: 

Keeping arrestees out of official booking databases.

Beating by police, resulting in head wounds.

Shackling for prolonged periods. 

Denying attorneys access to the “secure” facility. 

Holding people without legal counsel for between 12 and 24 hours, including people as young as 15.

At least one man was found unresponsive in a Homan Square “interview room” and later pronounced dead.

Do you understand how serious this is? Consider that the U.S. is one of the nations that our standards for "oversight" are being compared to and this is happening in their country. It is strikingly similar in terms of the methods used at the "temporary facility" at G20 in 2010 which I believe was a public test run of these new standards for holding inmates and operating political black sites. This is the model moving forward.

This is the path were on with laws like C51, make no mistake.

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Richard Fantin is a self-taught software developer who has mostly throughout his career focused on financial applications and high frequency trading. He currently works for CenturyLink

Nazayh Zanidean is a Project Coordinator for a mid-sized construction contractor in Calgary, Alberta. He enjoys writing as a hobby on topics that include foreign policy, international human rights, security and systemic media bias.