NYPD surveillance of muslims challenged

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A group of local imams and civil liberty and advocacy groups gathered at One Police Plaza to announce a lawsuit over the New York City Police Department’s surveillance of Muslims living in and near New York City. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the New York Civil Liberties Union and the CLEAR Project, is asking a judge to rule the NYPD surveillance program of Muslims unconstitutional. Specifically, the lawsuit argues that the practice of planting informants in mosques and businesses to spy on Muslim communities goes against the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and violates a Muslim’s freedom of religion.