Judge orders unionized city bus drivers to transport detained #OccuppyWallStreet protesters

Matt Gratz, Political Fail Blog

A New York City judge has decided that the NYPD may force city bus drivers to divert from their routes to transport detained Wall Street protesters against the will of the transportation workers union.

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer in Manhattan issued his authoritarian decision earlier today and denied the Transport Workers Union Local 100’s request for a temporary restraining order. The unionized workers are seeking to stop the police department from forcing drivers to deliver Wall Street protest detainees to holding facilities.

Local 100 President John Samuelsen says at least five city buses were commandeered on Saturday during a major protest on the Brooklyn Bridge in which at least 700 people were arrested for "disorderly conduct." At least one of those buses was forced to kick out it's passengers, leaving them stranded so the police could transport peaceful protesters to jail.

The union of more than 38,000 members including at least 9,000 bus drivers condemned the actions of the NYPD.

"The government may only compel a citizen to assist in law enforcement when there is imminent danger," Samuelsen said in a press release. "There was no imminent danger here, and therefore the Operator's 4th Amendment rights were violated."

The case is Samuelsen v. Kelly, 11-06947, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York