New York, NY – Police surveillance of the city’s Muslims has had a “chilling effect” on their lives, Muslim activists and their supporters said Monday.
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They responded at a news conference outside New York Police Department headquarters to police claims that the counterterrorism tactics were harmless.
The Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition and its partners interviewed Muslims around the city and found that many feel they can’t trust anybody, even while praying, and are afraid to participate in social and political activities.
The surveillance has had “a profound chilling effect on First Amendment-protected speech and worship” at mosques and on campuses, said City Councilman Brad Lander, who joined the news conference and whose constituents include Muslims.
The two entities that worked with the coalition were the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility, or CLEAR, project of the City University of New York School of Law.
NYPD surveillance “has stifled speech, communal life and religious practice and criminalized a broad segment of American Muslims,” fund attorney Nermeen Arastu said.
The surveillance was the subject of a series of stories by The Associated Press that revealed the NYPD intelligence division infiltrated dozens of mosques and Muslim student groups and investigated hundreds.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has defended the tactics, saying officers observed legal guidelines.
Ever heard the proverb: these animals are so naughty, they defend themselves when attacked!!
This is a case of ‘nothing to fear if you aren’t doing anything wrong.’
The fat is that islam is a totalitarian ideal masquerading as a religion. The muslim is to submit to ‘allah’ and destroy anybody and anything that refuses to submit.
If they aren’t conspiring, there’s nothing to fear. If the cops were surveilling synagogues, nobody would care!
too bad it didn’t impact them enugh to go away all together!
They should lay their blame at the source, their brethren who gave us 9/11, airline hijackings, suicide bombings all over the globe, mayhem and bloodshed not to mention unberable lines at airports, security guards in every office building in major cities around the world.
If these muslims want me to feel bad for them, I DON’T, thanks to their fellow muslims who perpetrated these tragedies, this planet has become a far nastier world than it ever was.
Surveillance is a miniscule price to pay when we, the civilised rest of the world, who have paid a far higher price.
911 had impact on the entire world
It must be devastating to them that they can’t plan their next attack without being watched
So let us review the number of cases the NYPD broke through their program of spying on houses of worship. Let’s see, that would be zero. Just for the waste of money this is a scandal.
To #2 - In fact, the cops were surveilling the Jewish community in NYC, when Rabbi Meir Kahane (z/l) of the JDL, was active.
I am sure it did, that is what is was meant to do. You may not plot dead in NY, I am sorry this is contrary to your customs.
let em squack. In case they havent noticed (must be difficult to see through a hijab or blinded by hatred ) there are cameras everywhere .. This is a direct result of the need to watch and possibly preemnt some bad guys (guess who), coupled with the ability to do so,created by the advances in surveillance technology. In fact i would say not using all tools available is negligent. Think shoplifting at a store.or cameras at intersections with high accident rates
If u live in the city u r being watched. if it bothers u so much move to rural south dakota. or manitoba. (no disrespect)_ intended .
If thats still not good enough just find another country .
I bet we could get people to donate money and help u get there. On a one way ticket of course.
NYPD surveillance “has stifled speech, communal life and religious practice and criminalized a broad segment of American Muslims,” fund attorney Nermeen Arastu said…..
If they’re doing nothin’ wrong, they have nothin’ to hide and shouldn’t be chicken to lead normal lives….but then again??