Minneapolis Will Pay $600,000 To Protesters For Injuries Sustained In 2020 George Floyd Demonstrations

A federal court Wednesday approved Minneapolis, Minnesota’s agreement to pay 12 protesters a combined $600,000 for injuries sustained during 2020 demonstrations over George Floyd’s murder.

The agreement settled a lawsuit brought by American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota (ACLU-MN) on the protesters’ behalf, and bars Minneapolis from arresting or using physical force including chemical agents against people demonstrating legally, according to a Wednesday ACLU-MN press release. The Minnesota U.S. District Court’s injunction concluding the lawsuit Wednesday mandates body-camera recordings for Minneapolis officers deployed to protests and limits their use of chemical agents for peaceful protest dispersion.

“Tear gas, foam bullets and pepper spray became weapons for intimidating and hurting protesters, making it dangerous for people to exercise their First Amendment rights,” ACLU-MN Legal Director Teresa Nelson said. “We hope this settlement sends a message to law enforcement across Minnesota that this violation of our constitutional rights will not be tolerated.”