Attorneys for the New York Police Department were in court Tuesday saying the department has every right to record conversations of Muslim Americans discussing politics, reports the Huffington Post.
“Whether it promotes violent behavior or doesn’t promote violent behavior relates to the potential for unlawful activity,” said Peter Farrell, attorney for the NYPD.
The Department, he says, “obviously need[s] to know both sides of the equation to make an assessment.”
The US District court is determining whether police are violating rules related to surveillance on peaceful political activity.
“It perfectly demonstrates their attitude, their state of mind about people exercising their rights,” said Imam Al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid who represents a network of Muslim congregations. “It’s kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
