C550. CTLR CLRED ACFT TO DSND THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT IN ZID CLASS A.

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WHILE DSNDING FROM ALT TO FL220 WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL200 WITH TFC 10 MI N AT FL210. FO RESPONDED WITH DSND AND MAINTAIN FL200. AT THAT TIME WE WERE DSNDING 2200 FPM THROUGH 22500 FT. AS WE PAST APPROX 20900 FT THE CTLR ASKED US WHAT ALT WE WERE DSNDING TO AND THE FO RESPONDED FL200. THE CTLR CUT HIM OFF AND SAID WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN FL220. THERE WERE FURTHER INTERRUPTED EXCHANGES WITH ATC AND WE CORRECTED BACK TO FL220. THE CTLR WAS VERY UPSET WITH US AND STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT WE POSSIBLY MADE AN ALTDEV AND THAT WE NEEDED TO CALL CTR UPON ARR. HE ALSO MADE A COMMENT TO THE OTHER ACFT INVOLVED; SOMETHING LIKE 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AT THAT ALT.' THE CTLR SEEMED DISINTERESTED WHEN THE FO TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT HE CLRED US TO FL200. UPON LNDG; I CALLED OUR DIRECTOR OF OPS. HE CALLED ZID. HE SPOKE TO A MGR AND WAS TOLD UPON REVIEW OF THE TAPES THAT THE CTLR DID INDEED CLR US TO FL200. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ACTION AGAINST THE CREW AND THAT WE WERE OUT OF IT. WE DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER ACFT HAD TO MAKE A HEADING CORRECTION FOR AVOIDANCE. OUR TCASII DID NOT ALERT US OF DANGER. IT SEEMS THAT THE SIT BECAME WORSE WHEN THE CTLR DEMANDED US TO GO BACK TO FL220. WE WERE COMING DOWN AT A GOOD RATE AND WOULD HAVE LEVELED AT FL200 IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. IT WAS A BUSY TIME AND THINGS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. COM BROKE DOWN. ATC TALKING; NOT LISTENING.