The New York Police Department has disbanded a division that conducted extensive covert surveillance on the city's Muslim communities. The Demographics Unit infiltrated mosques, restaurants, and other locations with plainclothes officers and informants, but the NYPD was forced to conclude in 2012 that the program never generated any serious leads or investigations into terrorism. A report last year explored the fear and mistrust that the unit spread among Muslims in New York, with many saying they felt forced to downplay their faith as a result.
Reported by The Verge 8 hours ago.
The New York Police Department has disbanded a division that conducted extensive covert surveillance on the city's Muslim communities. The Demographics Unit infiltrated mosques, restaurants, and other locations with plainclothes officers and informants, but the NYPD was forced to conclude in 2012 that the program never generated any serious leads or investigations into terrorism. A report last year explored the fear and mistrust that the unit spread among Muslims in New York, with many saying they felt forced to downplay their faith as a result.
Reported by The Verge 8 hours ago.
