NYPD Conducted Extensive National, International Spy Campaign on Protesters Before GOP Convention

by Democracy Now (reposted)

Mon, Mar 26, 2007 7:19AM

The New York City Police Department carried out an extensive national and international spying operation on protesters leading up to the Republican National Convention in 2004. On Sunday, the New York Times reported teams of undercover officers were sent across the nation, to Canada and to Europe to spy on groups and individuals planning to take part in the protests in New York. We speak with Jim Dwyer, the New York Times reporter who broke the story.

The officers were part of what was called the "RNC Intelligence Squad." Squad members posed as activists and filed daily intelligence reports on their activities. Some of the targets included street theater companies, church groups, antiwar organizations, environmentalists, musical artists and death penalty opponents. The intelligence was shared with police departments nation-wide.

We are joined by the New York Times journalist who broke the story.

* Jim Dwyer, New York Times Metro reporter.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/26/1329201

§NYPD Debates Civil Liberties Attorney Over Police Spying of Protesters

by Democracy Now (reposted)

Mon, Mar 26, 2007 7:21AM

The New York Times has revealed that undercover New York City police officers traveled around the country, Canada and Europe to spy on protesters planning to attend the 2004 Republican National Convention. We host a debate with NYPD spokesperson, Paul Browne and civil rights attorney, Jethro Eisenstein. We also speak with one of the hundreds of targets of the NYPD surveillance operation. Joshua Kinberg was arrested at the RNC protests and is the subject of four pages of surveillance records.

* Paul J. Browne, New York City Police Department's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.
* Jethro Eisenstein, civil rights attorney. Since 1971, he has been a co-counsel on the Handschu case which resulted in putting limits on how the police carries out political investigations.
* Joshua Kinberg, arrested at the 2004 RNC protests for his project "Bikes Against Bush." He was monitored by police in the lead-up to the protests.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/26/1329207

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