Andrew Darst A.K.A. "Panda"

In a recent affidavit written by Inspector Tony Samec of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, frequent references to 2 Confidential Reliable Informants (CRI) and an Undercover Investigator are made — a man known as Andy/Panda has been identified as one of the Confidential Reliable Informants. Grounds for this claim — among others — are as follows:

Andy called a member of the Welcoming Committee and begged this person to stay on the line for "a little longer", during the course of the cell phone call, this WC member was arrested.

Andy requested via phone that a member of the Welcoming Committee meet him at a specific location, andy then "hugged" them and this WC member was immediately arrested. It is of note that Andy was NOT arrested at this point.

Andy claimed to have been arrested on the Monday the 1st, and released 4 hours later.

Observed freely passing through police lines and chatting with officers.

In addition to these suspicious activities, "Andy's" known history matches the actions taken by the person referred to as the second Confidential Reliable Informant in the Ramsey County Sheriff's affidavit.


A brief history

Andy entered the anarchist community in Winona MN for the 2006 CrimethInc. Convergence, and introduced himself as an Urban Exploration fanatic. Suspicions of his intent and behavior circulated as rumors during the convergence. Andy was obviously a cultural outsider.

Andy attempted to organize a second CrimethInc Convergence in Winona with people he had met. This convergence never happened.

Andy attended pReNC August 31–September 3, 2007.

On May 3rd, Andy attended the second pReNC in the Twin Cities.

In early July 2008, Andy attended the CrimethInc. Convergence in Milwaukee WI.

Andy was also at the Action Camp in preparation for the RNC.

Andy spent a lot of time bragging about Urban Exploration feats, taught people how to tie harnesses and repelling knots. Andy also invited people from across the country to the Twin Cities for "Mouser Week" in January 2007 to join him in Urban Exploration. He drove a 1987 Toyota. He used the email address "reg.entity@gmail.com"

Please circulate this information widely. If anyone has other pictures of "andy", please circulate those as well. Remember that there are at least two other informants that claim to have been members of the RNC Welcoming Committee — for the safety of everyone, it would be wise to observe tight — TIGHT! — security culture (i.e. do not discuss incriminating events of the RNC with anyone, including people you trust) from now until forever.

Clearly Andy's persona preyed on our communities eagerness to accept people without working knowledge of anti-authoritarian cultural customs. Andy was a suspicious person, who tested the tolerance of the larger community; if we can learn anything from this persona, it is that our tolerance of cultural outsiders cannot be synonymous with tolerance for a lack of respectful security culture.

Related Links

Text: More Information on RNC-WC Infiltrators, Shift Shapers blog (December 5th, 2008)

Photographs: Federal Confidential Informant Andrew Darst A.K.A. "Panda", Anonymous post, Twin Cities Indymedia (December 5th, 2008)

Legal & Court Documents: Application, Warrant & Property Receipt for 627 Smith Ave S, St. Paul St. Paul Police Department (August 29th, 2008) - includes the affidavit written by Inspector Tony Samec of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office.

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