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NY Media Warns NYPD To "Not Underestimate" Them
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 1, 2012
Modified Feb 1, 2012
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 1, 2012
Modified Feb 1, 2012
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The New York Times has written another letter to the NYPD urging the department to stop harassing journalists and better inform their employees on the rights of members of the press. The letter, obtained by Capital New York and addressed to top NYPD spokesman and wooden Italian marionette Paul Browne, details further police interference and abuse, and strongly urges the department to "not underestimate our resolve in working to rectify these issues."
Arrests of credentialed and uncredentialed journalists in the aftermath of the NYPD's eviction of Zuccotti Park prompted the paper and many other media outlets to draft a letter in November requesting an "immediate meeting" with the NYPD to prevent the police/press relationship from further deteriorating.
Based on the text of this letter, that meeting happened a day before Thanksgiving, but that the NYPD hasn't exactly delivered what they apparently promised: the department hasn't provided proof of a "meeting of all the borough task for commanders" that was supposed to address press issues, or proof of additional training that was supposed to be applied "both to rookie officers and to experienced members of the force." Besides an officer being reprimanded for blocking photographer Robert Stolarik last month, the NYPD hasn't offered proof of any other service members being disciplined.
You can read the full text of the letter here. Times reporter Colin Moynihan recently detailed an additional instance of a police officer preventing a photographer from taking pictures of an arrest during an OWS march Sunday night. Though a variety of news organizations were signatory to this recently letter (The Daily News, WCBS-TV, Bloomberg News) we're feeling a little left out. The letter's author, Times' VP and Assistant General Counsel George Freeman, should feel free to give us a shout if he needs another credentialed news organization to add more credibility to his message.
Tagged
1st amendment
colin moynihan
freedom of the press
new york times
occupy wall street
ows
paul browne
press freedom
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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