Video footage of New Years at Zuccotti Park.
A group of 14 Occupy Wall Street protesters filed a lawsuit in federal court this week claiming that the NYPD violated their Constitutional rights by arresting them during an impromptu march near Zuccotti Park in the early hours of New Year's Day. Attorneys for the plaintiffs claim that the NYPD used an "illegal 'trap and arrest' tactic" to detain the protesters with the orange netting that has become an ever-present threat during Occupy events. "Whenever the police unlawfully arrest peaceful protestors, it chips away the people's Constitutional right to protest for redress of grievances," attorney David Thompson stated in a press release.
Nearly 70 protesters were arrested that evening, many for trespassing or the catchall charge of obstructing governmental administration. The suit asks for damages and other forms of relief.
