Western Reader
The Denver City Council unanimously approved a $4.7 million settlement for over 300 Black Lives Matter protesters who were detained by the Denver Police Department during the George Floyd protests in the summer of 2020. The lawsuit against the city claimed that the curfew imposed during the protests unfairly targeted Black Lives Matter protesters and violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Elizabeth Wang, the lead attorney for the protesters, emphasized the significance of the settlement in upholding 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.
The city of Denver has approved a $4.72 million settlement to go to 300 BLM protesters who had been arrested during the 2020 protests after they sued the city for its “violent suppression of free speech.”
The BLM “protests” cost the city $5.5+ million in damages and overtime. pic.twitter.com/HyuBoXz8Yt
— Leftism (@LeftismForU) September 5, 2023
The Denver Police Department denied the allegations of constitutional rights violations. However, the City and County of Denver decided to settle the federal class action lawsuit on behalf of the arrested individuals. The expected total payout for class members is approximately $3.0 to 3.5 million, with the remaining funds going toward lawyers’ fees, costs, and settlement administration expenses.
This settlement follows a growing trend of similar payouts in cities across the United States. Charlie Kirk, Founder & CEO of TPUSA, highlighted cities like Philadelphia and New York, which have paid out more than $9 million and $13 million respectively. Kirk estimates that over $80 million will be paid out in more than 20 U.S. cities.
After New York City agreed to pay at least $35 million to 2020 #BLM–#Antifa riot suspects, the NYPD will agree to new reforms in a settlement where they will send fewer officers to protests and direct actions. https://t.co/Jr1rLM9bpY
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) September 6, 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 behavior. He also questioned the future of Democrat cities, suggesting that they could become crime-infested and drug-riddled as a result of these actions.
In addition to the $4.7 million settlement, Denver has made other significant payouts related to the George Floyd protests. This includes a $14 million payout to 12 injured protesters from last year, which is currently under federal court appeal, and a separate $1.6 million settlement to seven injured protesters earlier this year.
These settlements represent a concerning trend that may potentially encourage unlawful behavior. As more cities across the U.S. agree to similar payouts, the debate on the long-term implications of these decisions continues.
This article appeared in FreshOffThePress and has been published here with permission.
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