NEW YORK, NY May 31, 2007 —Several young people arrested in Brooklyn last week plan to sue the city for civil rights violations. The kids were on their way to a wake for a friend police say was a gang member. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: Evelyn Morgan's 13 year old son Ivan was arrested along with 31 other teenagers in Bushwick. She says her son had her permission to attend the wake for Donnell MacFarland, who she contends was not a gang member and neither was her son.

MORGAN: They actually just grabbed my son, locked him up, threw up against the fence and threw him in the van. My son is so traumatized from a cop now when he goes outside he crosses the street when he sees a cop. He doesn't want to play ball in the park or nothing.

REPORTER: Police Commissioner Kelly said the department was being responsive to complaints from the community around the 83rd Precinct about increased gang activity and that the crowd was disorderly. For WNYC, I’m Bob Hennelly.