ANCHOR: A rally today in support of the NYPD’s controversial monitoring of Muslims, but in a twist, Muslim groups were the organizers and supporters of what some call spying. CBS2 news, Tony Aiello reports.
MUSLIM: This organization are aiming their attacks at NYPD.
REPORTER: Muslim voices raised in support of the NYPD, joined by Congressman Peter King.
REP. PETER KING: The NYPD is not spying. The NYPD is carrying out effective surveillance.
REPORTER: The department has been under fire for monitoring mosques, Muslim merchants and student groups. Critics like these on Saturday call it race-based spying. But these Muslims say it is not spying, it’s good police work, necessary to keep the city safe from terror.
MAN: Those who undermine the NYPD, trust me, they are the enemies of freedom, liberty.
REPORTER: It doesn’t say New York, but rather ‘American Muslims support NYPD’ on that sign. Most of the speakers came from out-of-state. There was one New Yorker took the podium; he’s a young Muslim who’s senior at a Catholic school on Staten Island. And he says he would have no problem with the NYPD conducting surveillance at his mosque.
STUDENT: No, I would not. I am in a public place and I have nothing to hide. I love my country and really have nothing to hide from the NYPD.
REPORTER: But other local Muslims have harsh words for this event.
LINDA SARSOUR: I think this is a shameful event.
REPORTER: Linda Sarsour says police should not monitoring Muslims without reasonable cause.
SARSOUR: We will continue to say that the NYPD is religiously profiling the entire Muslim community.
REPORTER: From pro-NYPD to con, there is no sign this dispute is going away, in lower Manhattan, Tony Aiello.