Nadler Reiterates Call For DOJ Investigation Into NYPD Conduct With Occupy Wall Street And Media

The following is a press release from the office of U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler:

Today, in response to the weekend’s events in Zuccotti Park, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, and the representative of Lower Manhattan [as well as part of Bensonhurst], reiterated his call for a full U.S. Department of Justice investigation into allegations of excessive force used by NYPD officers against Occupy Wall Street protesters.

In a December 6, 2011 letter, Nadler urged Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct such an investigation, in the wake of numerous reports of excessive force by NYPD – and police departments around the country – against OWS and the media.

Nadler issued the following statement:

“I am disturbed yet again by allegations of police misconduct and excessive force used against Occupy Wall Street protesters during this weekend’s demonstrations at Zuccotti Park. Our law enforcement officers are charged with protecting our health and safety, but that duty must always be carried out with respect for the fundamental First Amendment rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. Once again, I call on Attorney General Holder to launch a thorough investigation into law enforcement activities surrounding Occupy Wall Street – and its national offshoots – to determine whether the police have indeed violated the civil liberties of demonstrators or members of the media.”

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler represents New York’s 8th Congressional District, which includes Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, SoHo, Greenwich Village, TriBeCa, the Financial District and Battery Park City. In Brooklyn, the 8th District includes parts of Borough Park, Red Hook, Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Gravesend, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Seagate.