Lawrence O'Donnell To NYPD: Fire Officers Who Interfered With Journalists At Occupy Wall Street (VIDEO)

Lawrence O'Donnell called for the New York Police Department to fire certain officers who he called "thugs with badges," on his MSNBC show Wednesday night. O'Donnell was referring to officers who violated the force's "non-interference" order during altercations with members of the press who were covering Occupy Wall Street in mid-November.

According to a Capital New York article, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly reissued the NYPD's "non-interference" order, after multiple New York news organizations complained about the treatment of journalists who were covering Occupy Wall Street at Zuccotti Park in November.

As the NYPD cleared Zuccotti Park of protesters, officers prohibited journalists from entering the area, therefore prohibiting them from covering the story. Members of the press tweeted "media blackout," and others who tried to get passed officers said they were "roughed up" by officers' heavy hands.

Days later, some journalists were beaten and arrested when they tried to cover Occupy Wall Street protesters. O'Donnell reread the order, which was reportedly reread to all officers in the force.

Members of the service who unreasonably interfere with media access to incidents or who intentionally prevent or obstruct the photographing or videotaping of news in public places will be subject to disciplinary action. Members of the service will not interfere with the videotaping or photographing of incidents in public places. Intentional interference constitutes censorship. Media access to demonstrations on private property will not be impeded by the Department unless an owner or representative indicates press is not permitted. The media will be given access as close to the activity as possible with a clear line of site and within hearing range of the incident.

O'Donnell described the only way he believed the police force should deal "with the outlaw cops who willfully or ignorantly violate" the "non-interference" order. "They must be fired...The NYPD could fire every one of the thugs with badges who have attacked reporters this year and not miss them for a minute," O'Donnell said.

He added, "the actual, real crime rate would drop instantly because these police criminals would no longer be assaulting and battering the people of New York and New York reporters."

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Comments

[Zardoc54]

07:04 AM on 01/17/2012

If Fox Noise cares so much about Pat Buchanan let them hire him so I can not watch him along with everyone else on Fox. Keep all of the buttheads on the same channel.

[pavementends42]

12:20 PM on 01/03/2012

The NYPD treatment of journalists has been reprehensible at the least. Whoever is responsible, be it whomever gave the orders or over-zealous officers, needs to be identified and punished according to the law. This is not the USSR, China or North Korea... the media is supposedly free to function here. Whether or not that's true, the jury is still out!

[GaryNOVA]

04:34 AM on 01/03/2012

I don't think a blanket statement like this helps. Look into the matter and find out why these officers did what they did. If they we "ordered" to do it, then fire the person who made that call.

[nypoet22]

12:01 AM on 01/04/2012

it seems likely that the mayor gave the order. he's a bit tougher to fire.

[The-JuRK]

08:40 PM on 01/02/2012

Fox News: "We Report. You Decide."

MSNBC: "We Demand. You Obey."

[soisay]

09:12 PM on 01/02/2012

Hilarious notion. Still waiting to meet a RW Fox Viewer that will approach discussing an issue with an open mind. Quoting Barney, "like talking to a dining room table".

[The-JuRK]

02:20 AM on 01/03/2012

Are you defending Lawrence O'Donnell?

[Jazz88105]

01:04 PM on 01/02/2012

The NYPD can bring them up on charges and if found guilty fire them union rules can not/ do not protect an officer when he breaks the law JPMac. But the NYPD will not do anything because ever since September 11th they have become an arm of the military just like Eisenhower warned about.

[JPMac]

09:57 AM on 01/02/2012

Sorry can't fire them union rules my friend!!!

[pixeloid]

02:55 AM on 01/02/2012

Police held accountable for their actions? Good luck with that.

[bobbythompson3333]

09:17 AM on 01/01/2012

Calm down Larry. No one is watching.

[Richard Greenman]

10:38 AM on 01/01/2012

Plenty of folks are watching. Denial won't help.

[hpblue5011]

02:01 PM on 01/01/2012

Which begs the question, "How many are watching"?

[skykam]

06:21 AM on 01/02/2012

Well said. If he gets people watching they might actually fear for their freedoms and start doing something about it. We need more bread and circuses.

[Owlwriter16]

09:11 AM on 01/01/2012

This is one Front of the (so-called) Class Wars!

[beardown]

08:18 AM on 01/01/2012

O'Donnell just doesn't know the law!!!

[Changeover]

08:20 AM on 01/01/2012

He is definitely not part of the union brotherhood.

[Clevelandinwi]

08:07 AM on 01/01/2012

bloomberg is the finest example of the 1% that there is - he is there to protect wall street any way he can even if it means stomping all over the Constitution. He's been fooling people for a few years now but OWS has made it clear where he stands.

[Quitcherbichin]

11:39 AM on 12/31/2011

Lawrence O'Donnell is a third rate TV personality on a third rate network. The ratings prove it. Calling him a journalist is akin to calling BHO a rocket scientist.

[JanSP1971]

12:42 PM on 12/31/2011

Your GOPTP Fixed Entertainment lovin colors are showing.

[Hardyman1966]

02:43 PM on 12/31/2011

They're easily distracted by ratings.  It's like jingling a set of keys.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

08:38 PM on 12/31/2011

You can say whatever you want about ratings,but he was on the money with his commentary.I'd say that's a sign of a good reporter.Before we went to war with Iraq,FOX News was up in arms against dissenters,who turned out to be right.That's your kind of news organization,but I digress.Did you hear one thing in his commentary that wasn't true?.Conservatives have been trying to play the role of patriot ever since they put us in a circling the drain positioni,but what they have really taken up as their cause is hate.You're a part of it.

[Quitcherbichin]

05:29 PM on 01/01/2012

...and proud of it....Conservatives don't go around calling people who they happen to disagree with "haters". That is the mantra of the left...as if that is spposed to make us feel ashamed. Sorry to burst your bubble Bubba, but we could care less..you want to call me a racist...knock yourself out. It makes no difference to me, because when you resort to that you prove that you have nothing of substance to back up your argument.

[soisay]

09:19 PM on 01/02/2012

Hannity said you could not support the troops if you did not support the president (GWB). Also, all disputes ended at the shore during wartime. Also anyone not supporting the troops in wartime was a TR8IT0R! Go look up what Limbo, Markin, Coulter, Bekk etal said.

Of course in 2008, all of that changed. Repubs weren't in the white house, so they began to nit-pick anything said or done, every day, every chance, even though that was self-admitted undermining the country in a time of war. Their single cable channel news only station ratings were highest, because that description includes enough qualifiers to win that championship.

[rshrink]

01:28 AM on 12/31/2011

"“The bearer of a press card is entitled to cross police lines and barriers for breaking news events,” Mr. Siegel explained. “Monday night clearly was that.” There is a provision to deny press access, but the order must come from a supervising officer or DCPI, not just any officer on the street, he explained.

“It’s possible that a lot of what happened is a violation of NYPD patrol guides,” he said. He was summoned down to Zuccotti Park himself at 1 a.m. the morning of the raid. In past demonstrations, Mr. Siegel and other civil liberties advocates cooperated with the police to counsel protesters on their rights and reduce total arrest counts. Mr. Siegel was denied access to Zuccotti Park alongside reporters that morning, when arrests totaled more than 200."

The New York Observer or observer.com

[rshrink]

01:18 AM on 12/31/2011

I agree with Lawrence. I also think the president should weigh in on this and ask these cities and campuses to work with the protesters instead of trying to "defeat them."

[Quitcherbichin]

11:36 AM on 12/31/2011

BHO le' knows his reelection chances are fast disappearing. He is astute enough to know that if he weighs in on the side of the malcontents and misfits of OWS it would guarantee his defeat in Nov. The protestors can pontificate about the 99% until the world looks level, but the fact is that 75-80% think they are probably wrong, and definitely going about it the wrong way.

[DrObvious]

03:55 PM on 12/31/2011

the 99% defy simple labels, as do the OWS protesters. You fall into the same trap of trying to box them into a simple view. The 99% are all of us, in full diversity, excepting just our wealthiest few. No single label from the political spectrum really fits, does justice. And I have seen no poll suggesting the vast majority of people think the protest is misguided. If you have a source, I'd appreciate it.

[hpblue5011]

02:08 PM on 01/01/2012

"the president should weigh in on this and ask these cities and campuses to work with the protesters instead of trying to "defeat them.""

Camping is not protesting...

Why would Obama want to align himself with these OWS idiots? The Wall Street bankers were doing exactly what Clinton and Co. told them to do -- put more people in the "home owner" category.

[rshrink]

02:57 PM on 01/01/2012

You know so little about what the Wall Street Bankers did, one can't even begin to have a discussion with you. You just want to blame dems, because that is convenient, but it comes nowhere close to being objective or accurate. I suggest you read what some repubs wrote about the wall street gangs. You have so much to learn. You better get started.

[rshrink]

02:59 PM on 01/01/2012

You have also failed to notice what the protests have managed to get changed for the better. They need to be praised for fighting the war that has been waged by the most wealthy, against the middle class. Better wake up before it is too late. This country will be saved by the OWS or if not, we will all go down.

[DesertShores]

12:29 AM on 12/31/2011

Why don't you name the journalists, and the publications they worked for, that were beaten and arrested?

[rshrink]

01:10 AM on 12/31/2011

Why don't you? Can you not do your own research?

[oheart]

09:12 AM on 12/31/2011

I agree with you! The selective memories of these 'naysayers'. At the time, I remember journalists and their organizations citing these abuses. They were/are real and that is why Commissioner Kelly felt it necessary to reissue his non-interference mandate.

[johntangier]

12:39 PM on 01/03/2012

HEY! SKIPPY IT WAS ALL OVER THE PRESS, MAY I SUGGEST YOU BUY A NEWS PAPER.