Several protesters arrested in New York City while engaged in #BlackLivesMatter activism following the death of Eric Garner allege that the NYPD interrogated them at length about their political beliefs and affiliations.
This sort of questioning is specifically prohibited since a New York district court determined in Handschu v. Special Services Division (1985) that only the Intelligence Division of the NYPD could investigate someone's political activities — and then only if "specific information has been received by the Police Department that a person or group engaged in political activity is engaged in, about to engage in, or has threatened to engage in conduct which constitutes a crime."
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