A New York police officer's union is threatening to sue Occupy Wall Street protesters if any more of its 5,000 members are injured during demonstrations, the New York Post and New York Observer are reporting. A union spokesperson told the outlets that the union, NYPD's Sergeant’s Benevolent Association, says that over 20 officers have been injured in related Occupy protests. "Any assault on a police officer is not only punishable as a felony in the State of New York, but will also be met with swift and certain legal action by the SBA, which will seek monetary damages against any individual who causes injury to a New York City Sergeant," said the president of the group, Ed Mullins.

The statement by the union appears to suggest that any lawsuit would happen on an individual basis but with roughly $500,000 to its name, OWS could be a target, too. "I have instructed the SBA’s attorneys to pursue the harshest possible civil sanctions -- including monetary damages -- against any individual protester who causes injury to my members," said Mullins in the statement. Earlier this month, it was Occupy Wall Street protesters who were suing the city for the 700 arrests made on the Brooklyn Bridge. They alleged that "officers had violated their constitutional rights by luring them into a trap and then arresting them," reported The New York Times.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at ehayden at nationaljournal dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Erik Hayden