Ralph E Smith Publisher

The GUARDIAN CHRONICLE Support your right to participate in lawful political and First  Amendment activity -- attend an important court hearing on Wednesday,  January 29th at 3:00 p.m.   The New York City Police Department has asked a federal judge to  virtually eliminate court-ordered protections for citizens and  organizations who engage in lawful political acitvity in New York City.  The court order prevents the police from spying on first amendment  activities unless a targeted person or group engages in criminal  activity.   Oral arguments on the police department's motion in the case, "Handschu  v. Special Services Division," will be held on Wednesday, January 29th  at 3:00 p.m.   Courtroom 17-C United States District Court Southern District of New York 500 Pearl Street (east of Foley Square) New York, NY (4, 5 & 6 Train to Brooklyn Bridge; J, M, Z, A, C and E to Chambers St.)   Citing the events of September 11, 2001, David Cohen, Deputy Police Commissioner for Intelligence and a 35-year veteran of the CIA, has told  the court in the Police Department's motion papers that continuing to  require a "criminal predicate" to conduct political investigations  hampers intelligence collection on potential terrorists.   The "Handschu" case was filed in 1971 shortly after it came to light  that police had for decades spied on lawful activities of social and  racial justice advocates. A front-page article by Chisun Lee in the  December 18th Village Voice presents a history of the "Handschu" decree,  and what is at stake for New Yorkers. Click here to read the article:

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