The Coalition for the First Amendment consists of 13 membership organizations representing working journalists, primarily in New York City. It was established in late November, 2011, in response to the alarming suppression, abuse and arrests of reporters covering NYPD’s eviction of “Occupy Wall Street” protesters from Zuccotti Park on November 15th. Details of the police actions to suppress and deter coverage are contained in numerous accounts, below. So are communications between press organizations and New York City officials condemning the police actions and demanding that they cease.

In its call to other press groups to form the Coalition, the New York Press Club’s Freedom of the Press Committee declared its intention to monitor, spotlight and chronicle police, public service, and public safety activities that infringe or threaten constitutional protections.