Western Reader
Denver City Council has unanimously approved a $4.7 million settlement for over 300 Black Lives Matter protesters who were arrested by the Denver Police Department during the George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020.
The lawsuit against the city claimed that the curfew enforcement was unfairly targeted at Black Lives Matter protesters, violating their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Elizabeth Wang, the protesters’ lead attorney, emphasized the importance of this settlement in protecting the First Amendment. She argued that the U.S. Constitution does not allow police to remove protesters from the streets simply because they disagree with their message.
A concerned citizen reported a “mass killing” at a British seaside café. Police found a yoga class. https://t.co/wPoVBMfx3J
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 7, 2023
However, the Denver Police Department denies these allegations, stating that no constitutional rights were violated.
Despite this, the City and County of Denver agreed to the settlement in a federal class action lawsuit filed on behalf of the arrested individuals.
The expected total amount for class members ranges from approximately $3 million to $3.5 million, with the remaining funds allocated to attorneys’ fees, costs, and settlement administration expenses.
Similar settlements have been made in other cities across the country. Charlie Kirk, Founder & CEO of TPUSA, highlighted this growing trend, pointing out that cities like Philadelphia and New York have paid out more than $9 million and $13 million respectively.
He estimates that more than $80 million will be paid out across over 20 U.S. cities.
Police interrupted a peaceful yoga class after people seen lying on the floor were mistaken for a “mass killing” https://t.co/uOlWExj3cv
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 7, 2023
Kirk expressed concerns about the potential implications of these settlements. He argued that rewarding and subsidizing criminal behavior could lead to an increase in such actions. Kirk also questioned the future of Democratic cities, suggesting that they could become crime-infested and drug-riddled as a result of these decisions.
In addition to the $4.7 million settlement, Denver has also made other significant payouts related to the George Floyd protests. Last year, they paid $14 million to 12 injured protesters, which is currently being appealed in federal court. They also settled for $1.6 million earlier this year in a separate case involving seven injured protesters.
As more cities in the U.S. agree to similar settlements, the debate continues on the long-term consequences of these decisions.
This article appeared in FreshOffThePress and has been published here with permission.
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