After an elapse of five years, and an approximately seven-figure legal tab, NYC has decided to settle a lawsuit brought against the municipality by a group of protesters.The protesters, which included famed attorney William Kunstler's daughter- who is also a lawyer, were demonstrating the Iraq War outside the offices of the Carlyle Group. NYPD charged that during the protest, the demonstrators unlawfully blocked a sidewalk; therefore, they arrested them. However, according to The Gothamist, "videos from that day (including one taken by the NYPD) show a different scene, with protesters lined along the sidewalk- with ample space for pedestrians" to pass by. Still, the protesters were reportedly "arrested without [being given] any police warning, or an opportunity to leave." As a result of the allegedly unwarranted arrests, the protesters sued the city.
Despite an over $2 million payout to the plaintiffs to settle the lawsuit, a lawyer for the city contends that the NYPD did nothing wrong in this situation. The city's attorney has been quoted as saying, "This settlement was reached without any admission of liability on behalf of the city, and the individual defendants."
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