New York Churches Shelter Occupy Protesters, Now Monitored By New York Police

[one_voice]

With Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) ratcheting up police crackdowns on Occupy Wall Street this week, the New York Times reports that several churches in New York City are sheltering protesters who can no longer stay in Zucotti Park. About 46 protesters spent Wednesday night in the United Methodist Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew. However, instead of respecting the sanctuary, police in plainclothes are entering churches to monitor their conduct.

According to church officials, two police officers (one later identified as belonging to the intelligence division) asked to use the bathroom but instead “entered the sanctuary, one remaining near the door while the other advanced down the aisle, apparently counting the demonstrators in the pews.” Then, one officer went downstairs to a homeless women’s shelter and “asked for information about who was sleeping there” without identifying himself or showing his badge. The church’s Rev. James Karpen called the police actions “invasive”:


“It is disconcerting that they would actually enter the sanctuary,” said the Rev. James Karpen, known as Reverend K, senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, on West 86th Street. “Here we had offered hospitality and safety, which is our business as a church; it just felt invasive.” <...>

“They are welcome to come in if they just say who they are,” Mr. Karpen said. “We have never had that kind of issue with the police before. Usually, they are very respectful of church-state issues

*snip*

http://thinkprogress.org/special/2011/11/18/372320/new-york-churches-shelter-occupy-protesters-now-monitored-by-new-york-police/

[formercia]

1. Rev. James Karpen is worthy of our respect.

People might consider donating to help them feed and shelter the protesters.

[Danse]

2. Terrorists

There could be terrorists in those churches!

There are. They are known as NYPD.

[Aerows]

3. I can't believe this is legal

This is intimidation tactics by the police. Since when are they allowed to monitor people in churches? If people want to sit in the pews all damn day, it's no one's business but theirs, and certainly not the business of the police.

[kestrel91316]

4. The good reverend has every right to tell the state to remove its security

forces from his property. If they come back with a SEARCH WARRANT then he should let them in. And ONLY then.

[FarCenter]

5. Why would a church be different from any other building?

The building owners could refuse the police admission unless they have a warrant if they so choose.

Otherwise, if they are admitting the public, there is no reason that the police shouldn't also walk in.

The church has no special priviledge.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Actually under international law

houses of worship as treated like hospitals, as neutral grounds. They are covered under the Geneva Convention just as hospitals.

So yes, they have special privileges, not that I expect most Americans to know this.

[FarCenter]

10. The Geneva Convention doesn't apply to peacetime law enforcement

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. But it starts to apply during civil unrest

which this is... the lowest level of conflict.

Oh and I did forget to mention that during PEACETIME we also are bound by it. That is why we are bound to report any foreign national detained in the US.... and this principle applies to all signatories... and reciprocity is expected.

[jwirr]

6. Sanctuary is a very old practice honored by rulers world over. Leave

it to bloomberg to violate the principal. He and his goon squad have no interest in rule of law.

[intheflow]

7. No interest in the the rule of law or any kind of moral authority. n/t

[sarcasmo]

8. The surveillance grid is out of control.