Updates on N.Y.P.D. Mosque Surveillance Program

 

In the fall of 2013, after an AP article  that reported that the N.Y.P.D. was designating entire mosques as terrorist organizations in order to conduct widespread surveillance, we started a joint petition with DFA against this violation of basic civil liberties.

At this page here at the DFNYC website, we will post updates on the Muslim surveillance issue, as a human right violation of this nature can often be a one-day news story that later loses attention. We endorsed Mayor de Blasio in 2013 in part because of his principled stance on improving police community relations, and we intend to work with other advocacy groups to help make this happen.

There is some good news! The N.Y.P.D. is disbanding that particular unit. Also, there are federal civil rights law suit in both New York and New Jersey. 

NY Times article: NYPD Disbands Muslim-focused Surveillance Unit

NJ Lawsuit:

Law 360 article re earlier 2012 surveillance issue: NJ Muslims Tell Third Circuit (Federal Appeals Court) that NYPD Spying Caused Real Harm

WNYC article about dismissal of suit by the federal district court in Newark: http://www.wnyc.org/story/fed-judge-throws-out-nypd-spying-lawsuit/

 

 

New York Lawsuits:

A federal judge in NYC dismissed a 2012 civil rights suits against N.Y.P.D. targeting of Muslims. But a suit filed in 2013, Raza v. City of New York is still active.

http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2014/feb/27/federal-judge-throws-out-lawsuit-challenging-nypd-/