Fueled by opposition to the Vietnam War, a group of activists broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania in 1971. Their goal: to expose how the agency was suppressing anti-war protests. Calling themselves the Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI, they successfully stole files that not only revealed the bureau's shocking tactics, but exposed many other unsuspecting targets, sparking public outrage and a congressional investigation into the FBI's abuses.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterFollow Redacted: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/redacted/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Muhammad Ali in the ring in a beautiful, beautiful red and white robe. Now here comes Joe Frazier. Listen to the roar of his...
While most Americans were at home cheering on the heavily promoted fight of the century between boxers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Bob Williamson was focused on something else entirely. That's because at around 11 p.m. on March 8, 1971, the 20-year-old activist was breaking into the offices of the FBI in Media, Pennsylvania. Bob quietly shimmied through a partially open side door.
Then he carefully slid two large suitcases through the opening, too. Once he was inside, he looked around the room. His heart pounded in his ears as he imagined an FBI agent seated at one of the desks, waiting to arrest him. But the only other people he saw were his three accomplices who had gone in ahead of him. They had been planning their heist for months.
Now, they spread out to all six rooms in the office and began to grab as many documents as possible. Hopefully, some of those papers would help them expose the FBI's underhanded tactics. Tactics the agency was using to intimidate anti-war protesters and anyone who spoke out against the government.
Bob clicked on his flashlight and used a screwdriver to pry open a locked drawer, while the others kept stuffing the suitcases. Once Bob emptied the drawer, he crawled up to a window and carefully peeked out. There was a security guard at the courthouse across the street, but he wasn't looking. Bob breathed a sigh of relief and gave a thumbs up to the other burglars.
It was time to get the hell out of there. Before leaving, Bob stopped at a big teletype machine that the FBI used to send confidential messages and cut the cord. Just then, he spotted a photo of J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI, on a shelf. Bob pocketed the photo as a memento of his achievement.
He rushed to catch up with the others who were already squeezing back through the narrow side doorway. As they waited downstairs for their getaway drivers, Bob's hands were shaking so bad that the suitcase he was carrying rattled against his legs. Part one of their mission was complete. Now came the most critical step. finding out if they had enough proof to bring down the FBI.
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