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New York settles with Occupy Wall Street demonstrators New York settles with Occupy Wall Street demonstrators
(about 1 hour later)
New York City has agreed to pay $583,000 in compensation and legal fees to a group of Occupy Wall Street demonstrators who alleged they were wrongfully arrested, in what their lawyers called the largest settlement reached with members of the protest movement.New York City has agreed to pay $583,000 in compensation and legal fees to a group of Occupy Wall Street demonstrators who alleged they were wrongfully arrested, in what their lawyers called the largest settlement reached with members of the protest movement.
A group of 14 protesters, who alleged in a federal lawsuit that their constitutional rights to free speech and assembly were violated by their arrests on 1 January 2012, will each receive between $5,000 and $20,000 in compensatory damages, their lawyers said on Tuesday.A group of 14 protesters, who alleged in a federal lawsuit that their constitutional rights to free speech and assembly were violated by their arrests on 1 January 2012, will each receive between $5,000 and $20,000 in compensatory damages, their lawyers said on Tuesday.
The protesters were arrested in the East Village and charged with blocking pedestrian traffic after marching from Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. They said that they were ordered to disperse despite being penned in by police – a claim they said was supported by video footage.The protesters were arrested in the East Village and charged with blocking pedestrian traffic after marching from Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. They said that they were ordered to disperse despite being penned in by police – a claim they said was supported by video footage.
Manhattan prosecutors subsequently declined to prosecute the group, along with most of the roughly 2,600 Occupy protesters who were arrested over several months after the anti-capitalist protest group rose to prominence in late 2011.Manhattan prosecutors subsequently declined to prosecute the group, along with most of the roughly 2,600 Occupy protesters who were arrested over several months after the anti-capitalist protest group rose to prominence in late 2011.
“The police, led by supervising officers, stopped peaceful protesters on the sidewalk, surrounded them with a blue wall of police, told them to disperse, and then arrested them before they possibly could,” Wylie Stecklow, an attorney for the protesters, said in a statement.“The police, led by supervising officers, stopped peaceful protesters on the sidewalk, surrounded them with a blue wall of police, told them to disperse, and then arrested them before they possibly could,” Wylie Stecklow, an attorney for the protesters, said in a statement.
Garrett O’Connor, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said in a statement that NYPD captain William Taylor had “personally prevented me from obeying his order, by stepping in my way and putting his hand on my chest when I tried to leave.” O’Connor added: “A few seconds later, I was on the ground with my face on the pavement and several police officers on top of me.”Garrett O’Connor, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said in a statement that NYPD captain William Taylor had “personally prevented me from obeying his order, by stepping in my way and putting his hand on my chest when I tried to leave.” O’Connor added: “A few seconds later, I was on the ground with my face on the pavement and several police officers on top of me.”
Announcing the settlement at a press conference outside City Hall on Tuesday, David Thompson, another attorney for the group of marchers, said: “The mass arrest of non-violent protesters has no place in any democracy”.Announcing the settlement at a press conference outside City Hall on Tuesday, David Thompson, another attorney for the group of marchers, said: “The mass arrest of non-violent protesters has no place in any democracy”.
“The NYPD pursued a policy of arresting thousands of people who had done nothing wrong,” said Thompson. “I hope that the resolution of this lawsuit will show that the NYPD policy must change. It is my hope that this case and others like it will free our streets and parks for peaceful protest.”“The NYPD pursued a policy of arresting thousands of people who had done nothing wrong,” said Thompson. “I hope that the resolution of this lawsuit will show that the NYPD policy must change. It is my hope that this case and others like it will free our streets and parks for peaceful protest.”
A spokesman for the city’s acknowledged a settlement had been reached and said that a statement would be released later on Monday. Andrew Lucas, an assistant corporation counsel for the city, said in a statement that the "settlement was in all parties’ best interest".
"This involved a fast-evolving, complicated policing situation occurring over many hours where only a small fraction of protesters was arrested," said Lucas.