Answer:
Yes, protections in the Constitution, including those enshrined in the Bill of Rights and the Civil War Amendments, were denied and abused by COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program), a secret and illegal program conducted by the FBI from 1956 to 1971.
COINTELPRO targeted various political and social justice groups, including civil rights organizations, anti-war activists, and black nationalist groups, among others. The program's tactics included illegal surveillance, wiretapping, and infiltration of these groups, as well as blackmail, disinformation, and even assassination attempts.
These tactics violated several protections in the Constitution. For example, the Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, yet COINTELPRO routinely conducted warrantless searches and wiretaps of targeted individuals and groups. Similarly, the First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech and assembly, yet COINTELPRO sought to disrupt and suppress these activities through infiltration, disinformation, and other covert means.
The Civil War Amendments, particularly the 14th Amendment, were also violated by COINTELPRO. This amendment guarantees equal protection under the law, yet the program specifically targeted and harassed individuals and groups based on their race, ethnicity, and political beliefs. The FBI's actions against civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. were particularly egregious examples of this.
In short, COINTELPRO was a clear violation of the constitutional protections that are meant to safeguard individual rights and liberties in the United States. Its activities represented a dangerous abuse of power by law enforcement agencies, and the program was ultimately exposed and shut down in 1971 following public outcry and Congressional investigations.