New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing the New York City Police Department of “brutal” force against peaceful protesters during last year’s anti-racism demonstrations.
In the complaint, James’ office said the NYPD violated individuals’ “basic right to peacefully protest. The court document said the department, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea and NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan failed to address an existing pattern of abuse and a lack of training.
“There is no question that the NYPD engaged in a pattern of excessive, brutal, and unlawful force against peaceful protesters,” James said. “Over the past few months, the NYPD has repeatedly and blatantly violated the rights of New Yorkers, inflicting significant physical and psychological harm and leading to great distrust in law enforcement.
“With today’s lawsuit, this longstanding pattern of brutal and illegal force ends. No one is above the law — not even the individuals charged with enforcing it.”
Protesters took to the streets across the globe last summer in reaction to the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd after police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for several minutes. The protests spread to New York City, where the complaint said there were “mass arrests” and interactions between police and protesters.
The complaint filed Thursday included dozens of pages of examples of alleged excessive force violations, including photos of protesters who said they were injured by police. The lawsuit says officers struck protesters with blunt instruments at least 50 times, unlawfully deployed pepper spray 30 times and used unreasonable force at least 75 times.
Instead of monetary relief, James called for systemic reforms within the NYPD overseen by an independent monitor.
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i love our men and women of law enforcement but if i was the nypd i would tell her and her ilk to pound sand and do not call us
for help.
It was the use of Police force that kept the protesters Peaceful, and probably saved many of thier lives, including Letitia Jame’s when their enforement of THE LAW stopped them from eventually coming for her, which always is the end game of anarchists seeking to remove people from positions of power and replacing them with themselves.
SO what of the LE, who’s OVER USE Of force, led to the death of that VETERAN in DC??
The police did not use enough force. Flame throwers would be the correct amount of force for these stinking blm/antifa terrorists.
Hey Baitfish, I am total agreement with you. Especially when that NYPD lieutenant thought it prudent to kneel and then got whacked on the head at a later riot with a cane. It was/is time to take off the kid gloves add a touch of choke holds and lock these dim wits up.
What sickens me, is WE CONSTANTLY heard, how cops were being ordered to STAND DOWN, Back off, Don’t get physical, with the rioters ALL THOUGH OUT last year.
BUT NOW i’m hearing several reports, that the cops and natl guard, have been given FULL AUTHORITY TO use lethal force, against any “Conservative uprising”…?
SO one can riot, loot, and burn an entire city down, and ANY FORCE cops use against you is “excessive”. BUT ONE CANNOT be outraged, at the sheer THEFT of our election, and thus peacefully protest, without fear of having a high power rifle bullet, being put into you…
TALK ABOUT the total elimination of our 1st amendment rights…
Why would anyone want to be a cop in New York City. Secondly, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Biden should put you in the Department of No Justice. You will fit right in, with the lawless DOJ, who will not punish anyone who is a liberal / Democrat.
HELL, why would a cop in ANY LIBERAL city, ever wish to stay, is beyond me.
Another socialist race baiting pig that should be sent packing with almost
all of the degenerate New York politicians……….William
Which “peaceful protesters” is he referring to??
The ones looting and stealing everything that wasn’t nailed down, or the ones burning the buildings down after they were looted??
accusing the New York City Police Department of “brutal” force against peaceful protesters
Peaceful protesters ? How can anyone take the commies seriously ?!?
Did she not see the rioting, looting and arson taking place ?
To her, those were just ‘reparations for centuries of white privilege..’
What would happen if all the Law enforcement, all got sick for a week? maybe two weeks, 14 day.
I would not want to be in Law Enforcement this days, you have no Back up you can’t do your job with out braking some rules and then toughen under the bus.