NYPD tactics at 2004 RNC ruled illegal

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:25:00 +0000

A federal judge ruled Monday that the arrest of hundreds of protesters at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York were improper and unconstitutional. NYPD crowd control tactics were also ruled illegal.

In one incident ruled improper, over 200 antiwar and anti-capitalist demonstrators were kettled by police in lower Manhattan and mass arrested. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday's ruling relating to the police response:

City attorneys argued that officers had "group probable cause" to make the arrests, meaning the crowd was acting as one. On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Sullivan in Manhattan rejected the city's theory and ruled the arrests on Fulton Street illegal.

"Based on the undisputed facts, and particularly the video of the Fulton Street march and arrests, the court finds that there was not even arguable probable cause to make those arrests," the judge ruled.

Salon.com > RNC 2004

NYPD tactics at 2004 RNC ruled illegal