Seattle settles with 2020 BLM rioters, pays $10M for ‘excessive force’ allegations
The City of Seattle Settles Lawsuit with Rioters for $10 Million
The city of Seattle, Washington has agreed to pay $10 million to rioters who protested under the banner of “Black Lives Matter” in a settlement over allegations of excessive force. This deal, announced on Wednesday, comes with no admission of wrongdoing from the city and relates to mass demonstrations that took place in 2020.
“This decision was the best financial decision for the City considering risk, cost, and insurance,” said City Attorney Ann Davison in a press release. “The case has been a significant drain on the time and resources of the City and would have continued to be so through an estimated three-month trial that was scheduled to begin in May.”
Resolution and Moving Forward
The lawsuit, filed by demonstrators in September 2020, involved over a million documents, more than 10,000 videos, and hundreds of interactions between the plaintiffs and law enforcement officers. City Attorney Davison stated, “This settlement resolves the majority of the remaining claims arising out of the 2020 demonstration period and is a big step toward allowing the City to focus on the important work of today, while moving forward from events four years ago.”
The city of Seattle became a hotspot for politically charged riots in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. According to the Associated Press, demonstrators were hit with crowd control devices that the city council had previously banned.
“Among the plaintiffs in the [lawsuit] was Aubreanna Inda, who was standing in the middle of a street before a phalanx of officers in riot gear when a blast ball hit her in the chest and exploded, causing her to go into cardiac arrest,” reported the AP. “Volunteer medics and other protesters performed CPR and brought her to a hospital.”
In February of last year, the city settled a separate lawsuit related to the summer demonstrations. Seattle agreed to pay over $3.6 million after a federal judge found officials had deleted evidence of government failures to protect businesses during the “Capitol Hill Organized Protest” (CHOP).
“More than a dozen businesses and residents, led by the investment group Hunters Capital, sued the city over its handling of the three-week CHOP protests, claiming the city’s decision to tolerate — and in some cases aid — the closure of an eight-block section of Capitol Hill hurt their businesses,” reported the Seattle Times.
CHOP, also known as the “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ), was a six-block area where far-left anarchists declared autonomy, implementing their own border control and ID checks. Then-Democrat Mayor Jenny Durkan compared the autonomous zone to a “block party” and celebrated the demonstration as a “summer of love.”
However, the reality of the autonomous zone was far from peaceful. “Over its 24-day history, the autonomous zone saw two gun homicides and four additional shooting victims,” reported City Journal. “All the identified victims were black men—precisely the demographic for whom the CHAZ had claimed to offer protection. In the absence of a legitimate police force, armed criminal gangs and untrained anarchist paramilitaries filled the void. Almost every night, gunshots rang through the streets.”
Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for The Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux, a conservative newsletter on culture, health, and wellness. He has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at [email protected]. Sign up for Tristan’s email newsletter here.
How can the city of Seattle address the underlying issues that led to the protests and rebuild trust between law enforcement and the community
Deral judge ruled that the city had used excessive force in its response to the protests. The latest settlement adds to the growing financial burden on the city as a result of the events of 2020.
The decision to settle the lawsuit for $10 million without admitting wrongdoing has raised eyebrows and sparked controversy among residents. Many argue that the city should not be giving in to the demands of rioters who engaged in violent and unlawful behavior. Critics believe that this settlement sends a dangerous message, implying that rioting and destruction will be rewarded.
On the other hand, supporters of the settlement argue that it is a necessary step towards healing and reconciliation. They believe that compensating the plaintiffs is a way for the city to acknowledge the harm that was done and take responsibility for its actions. They argue that this settlement is an opportunity for the city to learn from its mistakes and implement necessary reforms within its law enforcement agencies.
City Attorney Ann Davison justifies the settlement as the best financial decision for the city. The cost and risk of a three-month trial would have been substantial, and the city decided that settling was the most prudent course of action. Davison states that the settlement allows the city to move forward and focus on the important work at hand, rather than being entangled in a lengthy trial.
The lawsuit and subsequent settlement highlight the challenges faced by cities in the wake of mass protests and civil unrest. The events of 2020 brought to the forefront issues of police brutality, racial injustice, and the right to protest. While it is crucial for law enforcement agencies to maintain public safety, it is equally important for them to respect the rights of peaceful demonstrators.
Moving forward, the city of Seattle must address the underlying issues that led to the protests and take steps towards meaningful reform. This includes a thorough review of police practices, training, and accountability mechanisms. It is essential for the city to rebuild the trust that has been eroded between law enforcement and the community.
In conclusion, the settlement between the city of Seattle and rioters involved in the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 has sparked a heated debate. While some criticize the decision to compensate rioters without admitting wrongdoing, others see it as a necessary step towards healing and reconciliation. Regardless of one’s stance on the settlement, it is clear that Seattle must learn from the events of 2020 and implement the necessary reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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