U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman said the class-action lawsuit, which has wended its way through the court for about a decade, will benefit "future generations" who want to speak out and air their grievances. He said it sparked a 2004 D.C. law that set out policies for police to follow at demonstrations, including a prohibition against encircling protesters without probable cause to arrest them.
Under the settlement, each person arrested and found eligible for compensation will be awarded $18,000, and the record of that arrest will be expunged. It also requires additional training for police officers.
And a class-action suit is just beginning for the mass arrests during last weekend's G20 in Toronto. Would that US court rulings set precedents in Canada!
ETA: Add your support to the CCLA's G20 action, in defence of those who were arrested or detained.
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