D.C. Police Force Urges Judge to Reject Protest Suit

The District of Columbia police department is urging a judge to reject a lawsuit that accused it of improperly infiltrating a protest group.

Lawyers for the police force say in court papers that the department is immune from being sued for sending an undercover officer to monitor the group's activities. They also say the department followed appropriate regulations in authorizing the undercover work and that the group lacks legal standing to sue.

United Students Against Sweatshops sued in August over the presence of an undercover female police officer at a demonstration last spring.

A police intelligence official, Thomas Wilkins, has said the undercover officer was authorized out of concern that the demonstrations would turn violent. Wilkins said an officer had previously been assaulted at one of the group's protests.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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