Privacy SOS

Boston DHS agent on library privacy activist: “That kid…”

Last week, a New Hampshire library did something historic. Bucking the advice of a Boston Department of Homeland Security agent and a local detective assigned to an internet crime task force, the Kilton Library in the town of Lebanon, NH decided to reactivate a Tor relay that had been temporarily shut down pending law enforcement meddling.

All of the drama started with an email from a Boston DHS agent named Gregory Squire. That email is now public, thanks to a records request by the ACLU of New Hampshire. According to the records, Squire read about the Library Freedom Project’s work with the Kilton Library, and sent an email about the project to a regional police detective assigned to an internet crimes task force. That local police officer in turn contacted the Lebanon police, warning “This could become an issue.” That set in motion the events that led to last week’s triumphant victory for freedom over fear.

The original email from DHS to the local police is copied above in its entirety. The person described as “that kid…” is Alison Macrina, director of the Library Freedom Project.

Transparency is fun, isn’t it? Read the full set of documents here.

© 2024 ACLU of Massachusetts.