Denver is the latest city to cut a settlement check to Black Lives Matter protesters who were arrested amid the riots following George Floyd's death.
The Colorado city agreed to pay $4.7 million to more than 300 protesters who were arrested during the 2020 riots for violating the city's emergency curfew.
The city council unanimously agreed to the move. The payout is the second over the Denver police's treatment of protesters, the New York Times reported:
The settlement approved on Monday is the second major victory for protesters who have criticized the Denver Police Department’s handling of the 2020 demonstrations. In a civil case last year, a jury in federal court in Colorado ordered the Denver authorities to pay $14 million in damages to 12 protesters after finding that police officers had used excessive force against them in 2020.
Denver is just the latest city to shell out millions to BLM protesters. At least 19 cities across the United States have paid out at least $80 million to protesters who claimed harm at the hands of police during the summer 2020 protests. Philadelphia is paying more than $9 million to BLM protesters.
New York City agreed in July to pay protesters in what could be the most expensive payout ever for a lawsuit surrounding mass arrests.
City officials agreed to pay $13 million to settle a civil rights suit on behalf of people arrested or allegedly beaten by police during the 2020 protests. The suit is on behalf of around 1,300 people, who will each be eligible for $9,950 in compensation if a judge approves the settlement.