By The Vanguard Staff
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Twelve people injured by police during George Floyd protests are being awarded $50,000 each—a total of $600,000—by the city of Minneapolis after being injured during protesting the brutal killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 by police, who pinned the 46-year-old Black man’s neck to the ground with a knee, according to a Reuters story this past week.
Minneapolis also agreed in federal court to criminal justice reforms, including banning police from using chemical agents, physical force and other violent means involving non-violent demonstrations, according to the settlement.
Police are also required to wear body cameras that are not obscured during demonstrations as part of the settlement, said the ACLU of Minnesota, which filed the federal suit.
Local news reports said widespread demonstrations broke out in Minneapolis, and much of the U.S. and world in May 2020 after MN Officer Derek Chauvin was seen in video pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes during a street arrest of Floyd for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
Chauvin was convicted of murder in state court and pleaded guilty to federal charges. Other officers were also convicted or took plea deals.
The 12 plaintiffs, according to the lawsuit, suffered injuries including those from being hit by so-called less-lethal munitions—which can kill and certainly severely injured those hit, with respiratory issues from tear gas and psychological trauma.
According to plaintiff Jordan Meyer, “This agreement is a big step towards keeping peaceful protesters safe from police violence. I hope other police departments across the country see this outcome and proactively adopt these same policies and standards.”
This is excellent news on the justice front.