NYCLU Statement on Curfews and Interrogations of Political Views

NEW YORK – As demonstrators continue to gather to protest police violence, reports indicates that people arrested for violating New York City’s curfew are being interrogated about their political beliefs. In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union issued the following statement from Executive Director Donna Lieberman.

“Police officers continue to meet protesters and bystanders with violence and brutality. Curfews across the state have only emboldened officers to put people’s lives in danger, suppress the right to protest, and wrongfully arrest New Yorkers.

“The curfew has also led to law enforcement interrogating people for their political views, according to reports. Given New York City’s long history of surveilling political groups, it is troubling that law enforcement officers are arresting people and questioning them about their political beliefs. The NYPD has been previously reprimanded by a Federal Judge for such practices. The NYPD and FBI cannot mass arrest New Yorkers and conduct an intelligence-gathering operation on First Amendment protected activity.

“The violence inflicted on protesters by law enforcement must end immediately. The NYCLU calls on Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and mayors across the state to lift curfews across the state, stop suppressing protests, and end interrogations of demonstrators’ political views.”