NYC Awards Record $13M to BLM Rioters in Settlement for Being Arrested During George Floyd Protests
In an unprecedented move that has left many shaking their heads in disbelief, New York City has opted to hand over a staggering $13 million to more than 1,000 individuals.
Who are these fortunate recipients, you might ask?
They are protesters who, in the tumultuous aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020, found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
This monumental payout, resulting from a civil rights lawsuit settlement that is poised to make history, has sparked an outcry, with critics condemning the prioritization of compensating individuals who took part in mass unrest over addressing the myriad other issues the city faces.
But how has this situation come to pass?
And what does this say about New York City’s stance on the civil disobedience that shook the nation?
More details below:
For those who followed the wave of Black Lives Matter protests, you’ll recall that they were not without their share of violence and destruction.
Fires were started, objects thrown, windows smashed, buildings damaged – the repercussions of this civil unrest echoed across the nation, causing billions of dollars in damages and leading to mass arrests.
In this landmark case, are we setting a precedent for financially rewarding individuals involved in such protests?
What about those protesters whose actions crossed the line into violence and destruction – will they, too, receive a piece of this multi-million dollar settlement?
The lawsuit’s stipulations draw a somewhat murky line on this.
Fox News was one of the first to break the story:
New York City will give more than $13 million to more than 1,000 protesters arrested or interacting with police during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests following a civil rights lawsuit settlement filed in Manhattan federal court Wednesday.
Experts said the settlement, which allows the city to avoid a trial, would be among the most expensive payouts ever for mass arrests. It still needs to be approved by a judge before it is finalized.
The lawsuit focused on 18 protests that erupted in New York City in the week following George Floyd’s death in May. According to attorneys for the plaintiffs, eligible persons can receive $9,950 in compensation.
Protests and riots following the 2020 killing of Floyd resulted in at least 18 deaths, $350 million worth of property damage in the Minneapolis area, and nearly $2 billion nationwide. About 10,000 people were arrested in the span of a few days.
Several other cities across the U.S. are negotiating their own settlements concerning officers’ handling of protesters who spilled into the streets, with some causing fires, throwing objects, breaking windows and damaging buildings.
Protesters arrested in connection with violence — those arrested on charges including trespassing, property destruction, assaulting an officer, arson or weapons possession — will be excluded from the settlement. Those seen on video blocking police from making arrests may also be ineligible.
The lawsuit named former Mayor Bill de Blasio and retired NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea, as well as other police leaders, as defendants. Under the settlement agreement, neither the city nor the NYPD is required to admit any wrongdoing.
New York City, long celebrated as the epitome of urban dynamism and diversity, appears to have taken an unnerving turn into a realm where the traditional roles of law enforcement and lawbreakers are being dramatically flipped.
At the helm of this seemingly bizarre twist is Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who seems intent on bringing the hammer down not on the city’s notorious law-breakers but on its public protectors.
Concurrently, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has approved a multi-million dollar payout to Black Lives Matter protesters who were in physical confrontations with the police.
It’s a strange turn of events where those who break the law appear to be shielded and even rewarded, while the ones tasked with upholding it are punished.
But what does this mean for the ordinary New Yorker?
Can they feel safe in a city that appears to be operating in an alternate universe?
The details of recent incidents involving law enforcement in New York City make for alarming reading.
One case involves an NYPD officer who was charged for an incident at an Apple store where he threw a single punch that led to no injuries.
On what basis was this considered a criminal act worthy of prosecution by Bragg?
Fortunately, the editorial board at the New York Post still has some common sense and is calling out NYC for having its priorities backwards:
What a topsy-turvy world Gotham has become.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is now prosecuting a cop who tried to stop a serial shoplifter — while Mayor Eric Adams’ team has agreed to pay Black Lives Matter protesters $13 million for fighting police.
It’s just the latest turn in a series of madcap moves where officials rush to defend — and even reward — law-breakers, while punishing victims and those who seek to protect the public.
Can any New Yorker feel safe in a world like that?
On Wednesday, Bragg indicted Manhattan NYPD officer Salvatore Provenzano for punching an unruly man he was escorting out of an Upper West Side Apple Store two years ago.
The incident involved just one punch, which resulted in absolutely no injuries, yet DA Bragg somehow saw fit to press charges against the officer.
This follows on the heels of Bragg’s indictments of other New Yorkers who were forced to defend themselves against street madmen:
* Last year, Bragg sought to bring a murder charge against bodega worker Jose Alba, even though surveillance video showed Alba was attacked first and sought to defend himself. Bragg later backed down under pressure.
* In May, Daniel Penny was arraigned on manslaughter charges involving the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man who was threatening subway riders.
* Last month, straphanger Jordan Williams was charged with stabbing an unhinged ex-con who harassed passengers and punched his girlfriend aboard a J train, though a grand jury found that he acted in self-defense.
* And just this month, Bragg charged Scotty Enoe, a CVS worker, with stabbing a serial shoplifter to death during a fight inside a Midtown Manhattan store.
If you live in NYC and have to pay the BLM rioters with your hard-earned tax money, we feel sorry for you.
NYC Awards Record $13M to BLM Rioters in Settlement for Being Arrested During George Floyd Protests