NYC to compensate George Floyd protesters with $13.7M for mass arrests.
New York City Settles Lawsuit with George Floyd Protesters for $13.7 Million
New York City has agreed to pay $13.7 million to over 1,000 protesters who participated in the George Floyd protests in 2020.
The city’s significant payout resolves a major class-action lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, alleging that the police violated the civil rights of the protesters.
The lawsuit focused on the clashes between protesters and police during 18 protests that occurred in the week following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody in May.
Protesters who qualify for compensation can receive up to $9,950, according to the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
The lawsuit claimed that some eligible protesters were arrested, while others had their First Amendment rights infringed upon by the police.
However, protesters who were arrested for violent charges or impeded police from arresting others may not be eligible for a payout.
The settlement is still pending approval from a judge and is expected to be one of the most expensive payouts for mass arrests.
The plaintiffs’ lawyers from the National Lawyers Guild, a left-leaning group, accused the NYPD of using excessive force and making unlawful arrests, violating the protesters’ First Amendment rights.
According to the lawsuit, there were instances where police beat and kicked protesters.
“N.Y.P.D.’s suppression of dissent has continued through numerous mayoral administrations,” stated one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
The city, on the other hand, argued that the NYPD did not suppress lawful protests or infringe upon the protesters’ constitutional right to demonstrate.
“There is no history – or present or future – of unconstitutional policing,” read a memo from Georgia Pestana, an attorney for the city.
Following Floyd’s death, approximately 10,000 people were arrested nationwide, and the riots caused nearly $2 billion in property damage.
In New York, over 2,000 people were arrested between May 28 and June 7, according to the New York State attorney general’s office.
During the protests in New York City, some individuals engaged in violent acts, injuring dozens of police officers, damaging police cars, looting or damaging businesses.
For instance, two NYPD officers in Brooklyn were shot and one was stabbed in the neck while trying to prevent looting.
The mayor implemented a curfew for the first week of June, but it was frequently violated by protesters.
This settlement is not the first time New York City has reached an agreement with George Floyd protesters. In March, the city settled with around 300 people who were arrested in the Bronx, awarding them $21,500 each.
The lawsuit from those protesters claimed that the police used aggressive tactics, including “kettling,” restraining protesters with zip ties, using batons, and pepper spray.
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