Denver will hand over nearly $5 million to protesters who participated in 2020 demonstrations after the death of George Floyd after settling a class-action lawsuit on Aug. 23 that alleged they were selectively targeted for violating curfew, according to the court document.
The lawsuit, filed in November 2021 by seven protesters, alleged that more than 300 people were arrested for violating the curfew. The settlement awarded over $4.7 million to the protesters and promised that the city would not enforce future curfews against persons engaging in First Amendment activity. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: DOJ Plans To Commemorate George Floyd’s Death By Announcing New Law Enforcement Policy)
“The First Amendment does not allow police to clear the streets of protesters simply because they do not agree with their message,” Elizabeth Wang, lead attorney for the protesters, said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 25: A headstone for George Floyd stands int the “Say Their Names” cemetery at George Floyd Square on May 25, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Then-Democratic Denver Mayor Michael Hancock imposed an 8 p.m. curfew in late May 2020 as a result of riots in the city. Hancock let the curfew expire that June, according to The Denver Post.
The city denied that there was an official policy targeting the protesters with the curfew, but decided not to continue the lawsuit because going to a trial would be “burdensome and expensive,” according to the settlement.
The City of Denver did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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