The New York Civil Liberties Union today called on the Binghamton City Council to respect free speech by rejecting a proposed ordinance to ban camping in city parks. Occupy Binghamton demonstrators had camped in the city’s Liberty Park for several months with the express approval of Mayor Matt Ryan. The day before the demonstrators were evicted in January, the proposed ordinance was introduced to the council.

Legislation that would allow religious worship services inside public schools would threaten New Yorkers’ religious freedom, the New York Civil Liberties Union will argue today in testimony before the New York City Council’s Education Committee. During the 2010-11 school year, about 160 religious congregations – almost all Christian churches – held Sunday worship services in New York City schools.

In response to the unlawful, overnight eviction of Occupy Buffalo demonstrators from Niagara Square, the New York Civil Liberties Union today issued the following statement attributable to NYCLU Western Regional Office Director John A. Curr III:

In response to last night’s police harassment of Occupy Rochester’s encampment in Washington Square Park, the New York Civil Liberties Union today demanded that the City of Rochester stop sending police officers into the park to harass peaceful protesters.

In response to news that NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne was caught by The New York Times spreading misinformation, New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman issued the following statement:

The New York Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging the refusal of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to disclose public records concerning a program that allows NYPD officers to regularly patrol privately owned apartment buildings. Landlords can enroll their buildings in the District Attorney’s Trespass Affidavit Program, which permits police officers to patrol the premises. The NYCLU has received numerous reports that police officers make unconstitutional, suspicionless stops – and even trespassing arrests – of TAP building residents and their invited guests.

In response to the overnight eviction of Occupy Syracuse demonstrators from Perseverance Park, the New York Civil Liberties Union today issued the following statement attributable to Central New York Chapter Director Barrie Gewanter:

The New York Civil Liberties Union today called on Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner to halt plans to evict Occupy Syracuse protesters from Perseverance Park tomorrow morning.

The New York Civil Liberties Union today applauded Rochester City Court Judge Teresa Johnson’s decision to dismiss charges against 28 Occupy Rochester demonstrators who were arrested while peacefully protesting in Washington Square Park.

NYPD officers removed barriers tonight at Zuccotti Park, just one day after the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the New York City chapter of the National Lawyers Guild put New York City on notice that its arbitrary and inconsistently applied rules and security measures restricting the public’s access to the park violated city zoning laws.