NYPD Raids Activists’ Homes Before Tomorrow’s Occupy Wall Street Protests

[starroute]

http://gawker.com/5906500/nypd-raids-activists-homes-before-tomorrows-occupy-wall-street-protests

A day before Occupy Wall Street hopes to shut down New York and cities across the country in massive May Day protests, the NYPD visited at least three activist homes in New York and interrogated residents about plans for tomorrow's protest.

Today "there was definitely an upswing in law enforcement activity that seemed to fit the pattern of targeting what police might view as political residences," said Gideon Oliver, the president of the New York Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which offers legal to support to Occupy Wall Street. "They were asking what are your May Day plans, do you know who the leaders are—these are classic political surveillance questions."

Oliver said the National Lawyer's Guild is aware of at least five instances of NYPD paying activists visits, including one where the FBI was involved in questioning. . . .

In the first case: activist Zachary Dempster said that six NYPD officers broke down the door of his Bushwick, Brooklyn apartment at around 6:15am this morning. Dempster said they were armed with a warrant for the arrest of his roommate, musician Joe Crow Ryan, for a six-year-old open container violation. But Dempster believes this was an excuse to check in on him, as he'd been arrested in February at an Occupy Wall Street Party that was broken up by cops, and charged with assaulting a police office and inciting a riot.

[snot]

1. K&R'd.

[sabrina 1]

2. Pre-emptive justice at work. Don't they have Bankers on Wall Street to 'interrogate' or something?

Police no longer working for the people. Got to protect their real bosses. Especially the NYPD.

[villager]

5. There was a time when the police worked for the people!?

I think it's just that their direct employment as stooges/thugs for the 1% is becoming more obvious....

[sabrina 1]

8. You're probably right, but I guess I was thinking of some of the small town police who knew

everyone in town. Maybe it's a good thing that all this is being exposed more and hopefully there will be a backlash to their thuggish, brutal behavior towards the people they are supposesd to be protecting.

[Downwinder]

3. Afghanistan night time raids American style come to NY.

[Mooselini]

4. Wow.

This is disturbing on so many levels. It reeks of big brother.

Calling all progressives in elected offices: make this crap stop now! Stop fearing involvement -- it's time you led. That's what you were elected to do!

[freshwest]

6. +1

[limpyhobbler]

12. don't hold your breath

But you're right, our "leaders" ought to show a little leadership.

[DocMac]

7. So, when do we kettle and pepper spray the cops?

And if they discharge a weapon, that is the moment to begin a REAL movement.

The cops have tomorrow to decide where they stand. No more guessing. No more passes.

[Downwinder]

9. Pepper spray is not a weapon,

only a shopping aid.

[DocMac]

11. I don't even know what that means.

A cart is a shopping aid.

[Downwinder]

13. True, and pepper spray gets you through the lines on black Friday.

[aquart]

10. Kelly begins his mayoral campaign?

[bahrbearian]

15. LOL

[Angry Dragon]

14. Police State

[DLevine]

16. Thugs.

[Dawson Leery]

17. It is illogical to continue support for LEO's.

[coalition_unwilling]

18. This is when the strategic advantage of a 'leaderless movement' becomes

evident. If the NYPD wanted to get better intel on OWS' activities and plans for May 1, it could easily have sent some of its Community Relations Officers to OWS General Assemblies where they could participate like any other citizen. But, no, that would be too, well, humane and sane. So instead, they go all Operation Shocking and Awful.