Wednesday December 7, 2011
NEW YORK (AP) -- A congressman is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate allegations of police misconduct in connection with the treatment of Occupy Wall Street protesters and journalists covering the demonstrations in New York City.
New York Democrat Jerrold Nadler says in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder there were "troubling reports" of possible misconduct by police.
He says there were reports of "possible unlawful surveillance" of protesters' constitutionally protected activities and excessive use of force by New York Police Department officers. He says he was "especially troubled" the NYPD "aggressively blocked journalists" from reporting the Nov. 15 eviction of protesters from a Manhattan park they were occupying.
The Department of Justice said Tuesday it will review the congressman's letter.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne says officers "accommodated lawful protest" and made arrests only after observing unlawful conduct.
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