BLM Protestors File Federal Lawsuit Against Chicago Police Department
Social justice protests around the nation have died down since the summer months, but support for the cause has not. In a filing last week, sixty Black Lives Matter protesters have filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago. The lawsuit lists 20 officers from the Chicago Police Department along with Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown as defendants.
Federal Lawsuit Aimed at Chicago Police Department
The complaint that was filed is a 205-page document that lists a range of allegations directed at the Chicago Police Department. Portions of the complaint alleged that police officers struck protesters with batons, destroyed their personal belongings, arrested them without cause, and used excessive verbal abuse and unnecessary retaliation. The complaint goes on to state that lethal force intended to silence protesters kept the protesters from exercising their constitutional rights.
In the lawsuits, the plaintiffs alleged that the Chicago Police Department violated their 1st, 4th, and 14th amendment rights. The protesters allege that the police department used "brutal, violent, and unconstitutional tactics" to silence them and other protesters during the demonstrations that took place in and around Chicago during the summer months.
While a majority of the protests remained peaceful, protesters allege that Chicago police initiated and perpetuated moments of rioting, violence, and chaos.
Protesters Allege Unconstitutional Practices by Police
In addition to the charges, the plaintiffs also alleged that the police department used racially motivated tactics when arresting protesters. The protesters explained that police officers singled out black protesters, arresting them at disproportionate rates even though the organized protest included individuals of all races.
Seventeen counts are listed in the complaint that was filed. The complaint also states that "CDP's unconstitutional policies and practices against protesters has caused plaintiffs significant harm, including the violation of their constitutional rights as well as physical, emotional and mental injuries."
The protesters are also seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be paid by the police department to cover the cost of attorney fees and other damages related to the protests.
A portion of the lawsuit reads, "These abuse tactics include beating protesters with batons — often striking them in the head; tackling and beating protesters while on the ground; using chemical agents against protesters; falsely arresting protesters; and trapping protesters in enclosed areas."
The lawsuit has not yet been served to the city according to the spokesperson of the Chicago Law Department, Kathleen Fieweger.
BLM Chicago Filed Similar Lawsuit
This federal lawsuit is not the first of its kind in Chicago. At the end of July 2020, the Black Lives Matter Chicago chapter filed a similar lawsuit that aimed to block federal agents from policing protests.
That lawsuit was aimed at U.S. Attorney General William Barr and sought to keep federal agents from "interfering in or otherwise policing lawful and peaceful assemblies and protests."
The Black Lives Matter Lawsuit also addressed similar behavior by the Chicago Police Department. An organizer of the Black Lives Matter Chicago chapter, Aislinn Pulley, shared the following statement with CBS Chicago News, "They are trying to suppress our righteous anger, and we will not be suppressed. We will continue fighting back."
The protests that are referred to through the complaint filed by the protesters late last week were in response to the death of George Floyd while in police custody during May.
After responding to a call of a black male, later identified as Floyd, purchasing goods with counterfeit money, Floyd was put into police custody, where he died on the scene several moments after his arrest. Cellphone footage shows former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck while Floyd cried out what has now become the rallying cry of the social justice movement, "I can't breathe."
