Above: Wojciech Braszczok arrested undercover during OWS at Grand Central Terminal August 17, 2012.
Wojciech Braszczok, NYPD Officer Arrested In Biker-SUV Attack, Spied On Occupy Wall Street, Was Arrested During OWS Protests
The undercover NYPD detective arrested in connection with the brutal assault of an SUV driver routinely spied on Occupy Wall Street members using the name “Albert.”
DNAinfo reports at the height of the movement in 2011, Wojciech Braszczok infiltrated Zucotti Park and feigned sympathy for the protesters’ cause to glean information that’d he’d then report to the NYPD’s Organized Crime Intelligence Division.
He lived in the park, attended rallies, and even went to birthday celebrations of protestors.
Police say Braszczok was working with the division on a long-term intelligence project when he was seen present during the vicious beating of driver Alexian Lien.
“Sometimes an undercover spends too much time in a role, becomes the character and forgets what side of the law he is on,” a source told DNAinfo.
According to The New York Post, sources say Braszczok was also supplying federal law enforcement officials with undercover intelligence.
Lawyers for Braszczok say he never participated in the actual assault and therefore is innocent. He also reportedly feared intervening because it would have blown his cover.
Prosecutors, however, say the recording shows Braszczok, who was off-duty at the time, actively participating in the assault. He also never stepped in to try and stop the beating, nor did he report the violent encounter to police for two days.
On Thursday, another NYPD officer told supervisors he was riding with the motorcycle gang that attacked Lien.
