NYC Cops accused of unfair treatment at GOP Convention
Wednesday, September 8, 2004 at 03:15AM
TheSpook
As the city scooped up protesters during the
Republican convention, it also managed to snatch away their civil
liberties by holding many longer than 24 hours, City Council members
and legal advocates said yesterday. Councilwoman Margarita Lopez
(D-Manhattan) accused the Police Department of intentionally holding
protesters longer than the legally allowed 24 hours in order to keep
them off the streets during the Republican National Convention. A judge
is expected to announce how much he will fine the city for failing to
comply with his order to release hundreds of protesters who were
detained for more than a day. Scores of those arrested have complained
of lengthy detentions under repugnant conditions at a Hudson River
pier. Dozens of lawsuits seem all but inevitable, and the City Council
plans to hold a hearing to examine the treatment of protesters.
Councilwoman Margarita Lopez, a Democrat from Manhattan, said she asked
the Civilian Complaint Review Board to review the case, and the Health
Department to investigate the conditions at the pier.[more ] and [more ]
Trial Set to Begin Over Use of Pepper Spray-Soaked Cotton Swabs on Non-Violent Protesters in 1997 [more ]
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