‘Excessive, brutal, and unlawful force against peaceful protesters’: NY AG sues NYPD
(ABC NEWS) January 16, 2021
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday escalated her criticism of the New York Police Department in a lawsuit against the NYPD over its handling of Black Lives Matter protests this past spring.
The lawsuit also names Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea and Chief of Department Terry Monahan.
The lawsuit accuses the department and the individuals of failing to address what it calls a long-standing pattern of abuse evident in the tactics used to quash the demonstrations that raged over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.
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“There is no question that the NYPD engaged in a pattern of excessive, brutal, and unlawful force against peaceful protesters,” James said. “Over the past few months, the NYPD has repeatedly and blatantly violated the rights of New Yorkers, inflicting significant physical and psychological harm and leading to great distrust in law enforcement.”