Minneapolis City Council to pay out $50,000 each to 12 people allegedly injured when police tried to restore order amidst BLM riots

The city of Minneapolis is going to pay $50,000 each to 12 people allegedly injured by police amidst the protests and violent BLM riots that swept the nation in 2020, resulting in billions of dollars in damage and between six and 20 homicides.

This payout is the result of an October agreement between the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota and the city, approved by the city council on Oct. 20 and by Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey six days later.

The agreement was accepted by a federal judge on Wednesday.

In addition to the $600,00 payment, numerous so-called reforms were also agreed to, limiting police's ability to maintain order in the event of future supposedly peaceful protests.

What are the details?

Reuters reported that 12 plaintiffs, 11 Minnesotans and one former Iowa resident, allegedly suffered various injuries including bruising from nonlethal munitions, "psychological trauma," and lingering respiratory issues resultant of police officers' use of tear gas.

The ACLU suggested that the use of these nonlethal tactics "has chilled their desire to protest in the future."

According to the Star Tribune, among the so-called protesters were former NAACP Minneapolis chapter president Nekima Levy Armstrong, her husband, Marques Armstrong, and Hennepin Healthcare's Dr. Max Fraden.

With the help of the ACLU, these individuals filed a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Minnesota against the city of Minneapolis, police Chief Medaria Arradondo, police union head Bob Kroll, and others.

The suit claimed that police had targeted members of the rabble, who were allegedly peacefully protesting, and further alleged that officers used unnecessary and excessive force.

TheBlaze previously reported that the plaintiffs were part of a mob that illegally shut down I-35 on a west-side bridge on May 31, 2020, "and then surrounded a trucker and almost lynched him."

So-called protesters can be seen attempting to yank the truck driver out and stomp him in this video:

RAW: Protestor captures moment semi plowed into large crowd on I-35W in Minneapolisyoutu.be

Miles Kipper, a man in the crowd who rushed in to protect the driver, told KARE11, "It felt very much like an angry scrum with a team of really angry people punching and kicking and screaming bloody murder."

In an effort to save the life of the trucker upon whom violent onlookers descended, police utilized riot control techniques to disperse the crowd.

It is now unclear if police would be able to attempt such a life-saving intervention in the future.

The settlement requires that Minneapolis prohibit police from using physical force and from deploying chemical agents, foam projectiles, and concussion grenades against so-called peaceful protesters. Furthermore, according to the ACLU, the agreement prohibits the city from arresting or threatening to arrest demonstrators.

The Star Tribune reported that in the first few days of so-called "peaceful protests" in Minneapolis, the Third Precinct was torched and heavily vandalized along with a U.S. Post Office. Over 700 buildings were ultimately destroyed and 1,500 buildings were vandalized.

The Major Cities Chiefs Association indicated that during the riots, over 2,000 law enforcement officers had been injured.

Plaintiff Jordan Meyer stated, "I hope other police departments across the country see this outcome and proactively adopt these same policies and standards."