NEW YORK - Citing racial profiling, the infringement of Constitutional rights, and the possibility of a shooting like that of an innocent Brazilian man in a London train station last week, the Troops Out Now Coalition staged a rally at Union Square to protest the random searches being done in New York by the NYPD.
In an admittedly unregulated and undocumented observation of six to eight subway stops last Saturday, members of the coalition went out in teams to observe who the NYPD were selecting for the bag searches.
“Everyone I saw them search was a person of color,” said Dustin Langley.
Langley, 37, is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and an organizer for the Troops Out Now Coalition. Langley went to the Broadway stop on the L line in Queens about midday on Saturday last week. He stayed about 50 minutes, and observed “about a dozen” searches.
“What happened in London is that someone got killed because he looked suspicious,” said Langley, “In this climate of fear we only expect more of the same.”
The goal of the rally, beyond protesting the subway searches, is to link these kinds of security measures to the war in Iraq. The group of about 25 coalition members rallied a small crowd on the steps near the Union Square subway stop, stressing many times that a connection exists between these types of safety precautions and the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.
“What will make us safer is not police in the subways, but to pull the troops out of Iraq,” said Langley, who also listed health care, housing, and racism as ongoing domestic struggles linked to the war.
The NYPD announced the policy of random bag searches on mass transit systems, including ferries, subways, and bridges, only hours after the second bombing attempt on the London mass transit system on July 21. Fifty-two people died and 700 people were injured in an earlier terrorist attack in London on July 7.
The NYPD’s press office is being cautious about releasing the details of their procedures concerning the bag searches. As to the number of officers added to secure the subway system, Detective Filippazzo of the NYPD press office simply replied “an adequate number,” and went on to describe the expected timeline as “ongoing” so far no arrests have been made. As to the assertion that search subjects are being racially profiled however, Filippazzo replied unequivocally, “We don’t engage in racial profiling.”
A statement regarding the bag searches was issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, Paul J. Browne:
“These inspections are being conducted in a constitutional manner and have been met with enthusiastic cooperation by the overwhelming majority of riders we have come in contact with. If an explosive device or other material is uncovered—the bomb squad or other appropriate personal will be summoned to the scene.”
The Troops Out Now Coalition, though not primarily a legal organization, according to Langley, would mobilize and support a lawsuit should the New York Civil Liberties Union bring such a case against the city.
Donna Lieberman, the Executive Director of the NYCLU has called the searches “unconstitutional” and said by phone last Friday that they are in the process of doing legal and factual research about the situation.
Lieberman said she believes there is a way to both protect individual privacy and maintain security. “This is a very serious civil liberties issue, the concerns of safety and privacy are at stake,” said Lieberman. “There is a possibility that we will file a suit in this case.”
Lieberman expects that the NYCLU will issue a statement on the matter this week.
Feeds