Minneapolis to Pay Protesters $600,000 for Injuries Incurred During 2020 BLM Riots
On Wednesday, a federal court approved the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota’s settlement, which allocates $600,000 to be divided between 12 protesters who were injured during the 2020 riots that took place after the death of George Floyd. Minneapolis is the location of Floyd’s death, and the “epicenter” of the consequential violence that ensued after.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota (ACLU-MN) on behalf of the protesters, and not only requires the payments be divided among those injured, but also outlines new regulations that officers have to abide by when responding to demonstrations.
“The agreement prohibits the city from arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force including but not limited to chemical agents, flash bang/concussion grenades, and foam-tipped bullets against people engaging in lawful protests, assemblies, or demonstrations.”
“The injunction also limits the use of chemical agents by police to disperse peaceful protests and requires that officers deployed to protests have their body-worn cameras recording and unobstructed. The $600,000 payment will be split among the plaintiffs.”
ACLU-MN — Press Release
The protesters represented by the ACLU-MN claimed to be suffering from “bruises and respiratory problems.” The 2020 riots were among the most violent in the country’s history, causing more than $500 million in damages in Minneapolis alone, according to a report by the Center Square.
“There were nearly 8,000 emergency calls in 24 hours on May 29, [2020] a volume that persisted throughout the week. The report found emergency officials were harassed with threatening phone calls and dispatching high-emotion events.”
The Center Square
The unrest that began in Minneapolis then spread throughout the nation under the guise of Black Lives Matter (BLM) activism, causing more than $2 billion in damages — the most expensive demonstrations in US history. Additionally, more than 700 police officers were injured while attempting to deescalate protests, according to Justice Department data. More than 150 federal buildings were damaged, some even burned to the ground, as a result of the violent BLM riots.
The city of Portland, Oregon recently reached a settlement with protesters who were demonstrating during the 2020 George Floyd riots as well, and has agreed to pay $250,000 in addition to attorney fees for the 5 individuals who filed the lawsuit. In 2020, Portland saw riots and unrest every night for 100 consecutive days, and damages amounted to more than $23 million. Residents in the area are scarred, and many have not been downtown since the beginning of 2020, as crime rates have skyrocketed in recent years. From 2019 to 2021, homicide rates alone increased 207%.
“When compared relative to five “peer comparison cities” — Minneapolis, Atlanta, San Francisco, Denver and Nashville — the report found that Portland had the largest increase in its homicide rate, at 207%. Minneapolis was next highest at 104%, and the third highest was Atlanta at 54%.”
KGW8
The violence that erupted largely as a result of the popular media narrative caused record setting damages, injuries, and lives lost. Both lawsuits against Minneapolis and Portland claim that the protesters represented were peacefully demonstrating, however a large portion of individuals were threatening civilians, not just officers. Protesters demanded the “defunding” of police precincts, many yelled profanities and insults directly calling for violence against officers.
