New York City could be giving over $13 million dollars to around 1,300 people who sued the city for what they say was police brutality and mass arrests that occurred during the BLM riots and protests in 2020.
The AP reports if approved by a judge, the settlement would be among the most expensive payouts ever awarded in a lawsuit over mass arrests. The lawsuit focused on 18 events during that time period and people who were arrested or subjected to force by NYPD officers will be eligible for $9,950 each.
The plaintiffs in the class action suit said group of marchers "were trapped by police without warning. Sow and the other arrestees were placed in zip ties until their hands turned purple, then held in a sweltering correctional bus for several hours."
The terms of the settlement agreement allows the city and the police department to not admit to any wrongdoing:
Wylie Stecklow, an attorney for the protesters in the class action lawsuit, said the growing cost to taxpayers should serve as a 'red flag' for city leaders about the NYPD’s inability to correct its 'decades old problem with constitutionally compliant protest policing.'
'While the arc of the moral universe is indeed long, sometimes it needs reform to bend towards justice' he said.
New York City has a history of going easy on those participating in unlawful activities relating to the BLM riots and protests. In 2021, NBC New York found 60 percent of arrestees in the Bronx had charges relating to looting and rioting dropped. In Manhattan 222 of those arrested had their cases completely dropped, while 73 got lesser counts.
The AP in their reported noted there are also more than 600 people who have brought individual claims against New York City related to police action during the 2020 unrest, already costing the city $12 million to date.