Lawsuit: NYC police punished Occupy Wall Street protesters for exercising First Amendment

A lawsuit seeking class-action status claims New York City's police officers arrested over 200 people for exercising their First Amendment rights at the anniversary of Occupy Wall Street in 2012.

Thursday's lawsuit in Manhattan federal court seeks unspecified damages and a stop to the misapplication of disorderly conduct laws to arrest peaceful protesters.

The lawsuit claims the city enforced a policy that led to arrests of individuals engaged in free speech when there was no criminal conduct. The lawsuit said the city failed to properly train, monitor and supervise its officers. It said it also encouraged unconstitutional practices.

Lawyers representing numerous individuals arrested from Sept. 15 through Sept. 17 in 2012 brought the lawsuit.

A spokesman for the city law office said it had not yet seen the lawsuit.