January 2, 1920

The Justice Department launched a series of raids on January 2, 1920, with follow up operations over the next few days. Smaller raids extended over the next 6 weeks. At least 3000 were arrested, and many others were held for various lengths of time. The entire enterprise replicated the November action on a larger scale, including arrests and seizures without search warrants, as well as detention in overcrowded and unsanitary holding facilities. Hoover later admitted „clear cases of brutality.“^[17] The raids covered more than 30 cities and towns in 23 states, but those west of the Mississippi and south of the Ohio were „publicity gestures“ designed to make the effort appear nation­wide in scope.^[18] Because the raids targeted entire organizations, agents arrested everyone found in organization meeting halls, not only arresting non-radical organization members but also visitors who did not belong to a target organization, and sometimes American citizens not eligible for arrest and deportation.^[19]

—Wikipedia, 02.01.2020