“Deeply concerned” police sergeants are coming out swinging today against obnoxious Wall Street protesters, saying they plan to “pursue legal action” against demonstrators who injure any of its members.

Ed Mullins, president of the NYPD’s Sergeant’s Benevolent Association, said his group plans to pursue legal claims against Occupy Wall Street protesters should they cause injury to any of its 5,000 members.

“In light of the growing violence attendant to the ‘Occupy’ movements across the country, particularly as evidenced by the recent events in Oakland, I am compelled to place these so-called ‘occupiers’ on notice that physical assaults on police officers will not be tolerated,” he said.

Mullins added that any “assault on a police officer is not only punishable as a felony in the State of New York, but will also be met with swift and certain legal action by the SBA, which will seek monetary damages against any individual who causes injury to a New York City Sergeant.”

He said over 20 cops have been injured in Occupy Wall Street-related incidents.

“I am deeply concerned that protesters will be emboldened by the recent rash of violent acts against police officers in other cities. New York’s police officers are working around the clock as the already overburdened economy in New York is being drained by ‘occupiers’ who intentionally and maliciously instigate needless and violent confrontations with the police,” said Mullins.

“In response, I have instructed the SBA’s attorneys to pursue the harshest possible civil sanctions — including monetary damages — against any individual protester who causes injury to my members. Protesters are not immunized from civil liability merely because their victims are wearing the uniform of the New York City Police Department.”

This comes as the charges against hundreds of protesters who were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge or Union Square over the past six weeks could be dropped if the protesters accept a deal from the Manhattan DA’s office.

With AP