The president of the Sergeant’s Benevolent Association of the New York City Police Department said today, “In light of the growing violence attendant to the ‘Occupy’ movements across the country, particularly as evidenced by the recent events in Oakland, I am compelled to place these so-called ‘occupiers’ on notice that physical assaults on police officers will not be tolerated,” the Observer reports. A spokesperson said the officers have been “walking on eggshells” with protesters, but the SBA president, fearing that demonstrators “will be emboldened by the recent rash of violent acts against police officers in other cities” is now promising to seek “the harshest possible civil sanctions — including monetary damages — against any individual protester who causes injury to my members.”
The group cites over twenty police officers injured so far in Occupy Wall Street–related incidents, but does not offer specifics. Then there’s this: “New York’s police officers are working around the clock as the already overburdened economy in New York is being drained by ‘occupiers’ who intentionally and maliciously instigate needless and violent confrontations with the police.”
Well, um, er, uh, but… Okay, never mind. Duly noted.
Police Announce Plans To Sue Occupy Wall Street Demonstrators [Politiker NY/NYO]
Violent agitators pose risk for Occupy movement [Salon]
