Some of you might remember me posting about the class action lawsuit I've been involved with (I'm a named plaintiff) since 2003. Basically we held a huge protest the day the Iraq war started and police ended up penning us in and beating and arresting more than 900 people. The city even tried to sue me and 18 others for $900,000...
Well, nine years of litigation later, the city has settled for $6,000,000 +lawyers fees.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... id=8537404
February 8, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Attorneys representing the City of Chicago told a federal judge Thursday they have reached a settlement with nearly 700 people detained by police during a raucous 2003 anti-war protest. The city has agreed to pay members of the class action lawsuit a total of $6.2 million.
Attorneys representing the City of Chicago told a federal judge Thursday they have reached a settlement with nearly 700 people detained by police during a raucous 2003 anti-war protest. The city has agreed to pay members of the class action lawsuit a total of $6.2 million.
"I hope it sends a message that they need to treat us like citizens and not combatants," said Cheryl Angelaccio, one of the protestors arrested near Chicago and Michigan avenues a day after the start of the Iraq war in March of 2003.
The settlement has drawn extra attention ahead of the G8 and NATO meetings scheduled for Chicago in May. The event is expected to draw world leaders as well as demonstrators.
Attorneys for the protesters say their lawsuit sends a message that police must allow demonstrators to exercise their constitutional rights and notify the crowd before mass arrests begin.
Lawyers representing Chicago declined to immediately comment.