New York Police Sued Over Anti-War Protest Arrests

New York Police Sued Over Anti-War Protest Arrests

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Civil rights lawyers on Wednesday sued the New York Police Department on behalf of 52 people arrested at an anti-war protest, the latest in a series of lawsuits nationwide challenging police conduct at rallies opposing the U.S.-led war on Iraq (news - web sites).

The lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court charged the NYPD "unlawfully arrested peaceful protesters and detained them for excessively long periods" after the April 7, 2003, rally outside an investment bank they accused of war profiteering.

A spokeswoman for the city's law department said counsel had not yet read the legal papers, but "will be reviewing them thoroughly" when they do.

Center for Constitutional Rights lawyers said their lawsuit, which charged the police with violating free speech rights, was also filed with an eye to demonstrations planned for the Republican National Convention in New York in August.

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New York Police Sued Over Anti-War Protest Arrests

Wonder why it took so long? The New York police acted like a bunch of thugs during that protest.

And next, they need to go after this Free Speech Zone crap. The entire US is a free speech zone.

From the article:

"These and other cases are part of a raging debate over civil liberties as the Bush administration fights its war on terrorism following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America. Law enforcement officials, free speech advocates and courts have all acknowledged the attacks and the U.S. war on Iraq created a different atmosphere for policing and security."

The "atmosphere" may have changed(whatever that means), but the constitution sure didn't.

Whats the definition of "police state" again?

I hope the courts do right by the protesters.