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Report: Occupy Wall Street Protesters Complain About Police Surveillance

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The New York Police Department's surveillance of muslims has garnered intense scrutiny and prompted a backlash, and now another group is apparently upset about expanded surveillance as well.

According to the New York Times, Occupy Wall Street protest organizers say that police have been staking out buildings where meetings have been taking place. The organizers also say police have visited their homes and questioned protesters picked up on minor charges, the Times reports.

The Times reports that four Occupy protesters are planning on suing the city for allegedly violating their rights and strip-searching them. Charges against the four were ultimately dropped.

"Not only are the police disrupting people's rights to free expression, they are taking pre-emptive steps by arresting people who might be just thinking about exercising their rights," Vik Pawar, an attorney representing the four, told the Times.

The Times reports an Occupy organizer complained that in December she saw police officers parked outside her Bed-Stuy home while people inside were discussing an upcoming protest.

The Occupy protest has largely faded from the headlines after being booted out of Zucotti Park, but organizers are reportedly planning to step up their activities now that warmer weather is here in a bid to revitalize the movement.

The Times reports the NYPD did not reply to a request for comment.

Should the NYPD have boosted surveillance of the Occupy protesters? Sound off in our comments section below. 

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