[legal-professionals] Defend Limits on NYPD Spying

Support your right to participate in lawful political and First
Amendment activity -- attend an important court hearing on Wednesday,
January 29th at 3:00 p.m.

The New York City Police Department has asked a federal judge to
virtually eliminate court-ordered protections for citizens and
organizations who engage in lawful political acitvity in New York City.
The court order prevents the police from spying on first amendment
activities unless a targeted person or group engages in criminal
activity.

Oral arguments on the police department's motion in the case, "Handschu
v. Special Services Division," will be held on Wednesday, January 29th
at 3:00 p.m.

Courtroom 17-C
United States District Court
Southern District of New York
500 Pearl Street (east of Foley Square)
New York, NY
(4, 5 & 6 Train to Brooklyn Bridge;
J, M, Z, A, C and E to Chambers St.)

Citing the events of September 11, 2001, David Cohen, Deputy Police
Commissioner for Intelligence and a 35-year veteran of the CIA, has told
the court in the Police Department's motion papers that continuing to
require a "criminal predicate" to conduct political investigations
hampers intelligence collection on potential terrorists.

The "Handschu" case was filed in 1971 shortly after it came to light
that police had for decades spied on lawful activities of social and
racial justice advocates. A front-page article by Chisun Lee in the
December 18th Village Voice presents a history of the "Handschu" decree,
and what is at stake for New Yorkers. Click here to read the article:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0251/lee.php