Pro-Palestinian protesters file federal lawsuit against SUNY New Paltz, police
An attorney represents a group of seven demonstrators who claim in legal papers, filed Dec. 5 in the U.S Northern District Court of New York, that they were dragged, zip-tied and had airsoft rifles pointed at them during the law-enforcement action that successfully ended the demonstration.
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A group of pro-Palestinian protesters who say they were forcefully arrested by police in riot gear while they protested the violence overseas at SUNY New Paltz last May filed a federal lawsuit against police and the school.
Law enforcement was seen on video on May 2 marching onto campus and seemingly dragging protesters during efforts to disband the dayslong protest.
“Hundreds of police officers came and rather brutally grabbed them, dragged them and arrested them,” says high-profile civil rights attorney Michael Sussman. “This was not Jan. 6. This isn’t people storming the Capitol and beating and killing officers.”
Sussman represents a group of seven demonstrators who claim in legal papers, filed Dec. 5 in the U.S Northern District Court of New York, that they were dragged, zip-tied and had airsoft rifles pointed at them during the law-enforcement action that successfully ended the demonstration.
“These are students and adults in the community who otherwise are responsible citizens. We can’t punish people like this,” says Sussman. “People’s rights to peacefully protest has got to be respected, which our constitution affords.”
At the time, authorities said the gathering was a “growing threat” to the school community and some Jewish students said they felt the protest was antisemitic.
The lawsuit says, however, that the protest was misrepresented by the university’s president Darrell Wheeler and that demonstrators protested peacefully.
Wheeler and individual members of the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, including Sheriff Juan Figueroa, and individual members of the New York State Police are named on the suit which alleges protesters were subject to police brutality, unlawful imprisonment and had their constitutional rights violated.
In one instance, the lawsuit claims a male plaintiff was, “seized by his arms, yanked forward, and {thrown} headfirst by police into a pallet stacked with water bottles and food supplies” causing a head injury. In another instance, a female plaintiff alleges a trooper squeezed her breast and nipple during her arrest. The plaintiffs additionally claim they were denied access to water or bathroom use while they were detained.
The sheriff’s office and state police had no comment on the lawsuit.
A spokesperson for SUNY New Paltz issued a statement saying, “The safety of our campus community will always be paramount. We are aware of the lawsuit and intend to defend our position vigorously.”
Sussman says peaceful demonstrations in public areas on campus are allowed, according to the student handbook - but a version News 12 found online, that was last updated in September, says it prohibits gatherings overnight and for more than twelve hours at a time.
It’s not clear if this version of the handbook was in effect during the dayslong protest.
More than 130 protesters were arrested on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct as a result of the demonstration, but the charges were later dropped.
