New York is to pay $13.7m in settlements to people beaten by officers during protests against the murder of George Floyd and other victims of police violence. It's one of the largest in history, reports CBS News. The brutality during 2020's protests was indiscriminate, inflicted on more than 1000 people from participants in rallies to passers-by, and often resulted in serious injuries such as broken bones.
The plaintiffs joined attorneys for a press conference in Foley Square on Thursday.
"Today's settlement is historic, and I'm very proud that it will bring some sense of justice to nearly 1,400 people who took to the streets and put their bodies on the line against police brutality," attorney Wylie Stecklow said.
"It's saying to the city, 'We made a mistake.' They might not say it on paper, but they made a mistake, because they wouldn't be paying this money for it if they didn't," Ross said.
Plaintiffs and attorneys in the case say the settlement is just the beginning. They believe the NYPD is in need of deep operational and cultural reform.
All of them are set to receive five-figure payouts thanks to New York City's continued failure to rein in its out-of-control cops. It's only the latest round in a seemingly endless series of massive settlements, and more are on the way.
