City to pay protesters $250,000 to settle WTO suit

[ConsAreLiars]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001838680_wto17m.html
(Saturday, January 17, 2004 - Page updated at 12:38 A.M.)
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By Bob Young and Jim Brunner
Seattle Times staff reporters

Seattle settled a lawsuit brought by World Trade Organization (WTO) protesters for $250,000 yesterday, just before the case was scheduled to go to trial next week.

The lawsuit stemmed from the arrest of 157 people outside a "no-protest zone" on Dec. 1, 1999.

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman ruled last month that Seattle police lacked probable cause to arrest the protesters, leaving the city vulnerable to damages from the class-action lawsuit.

...

Steve Berman, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said he considered the settlement a victory, although he didn't get an apology he wanted from the city. Still, Pechman's ruling vindicated the protesters' claim that they were illegally rounded up and detained, Berman said, and the $250,000 settlement was "enough to be some kind of deterrent."

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A bit more background here:
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=12408

[acmavm]

1. Illegal arrests and detentions should all be taken to a court of law.

A settlement is just as much an admittance of wrongdoing as a verdict. Unless we fight back against these "protest zones" we will find that the entire country is off limits to any kind of protest. I would rather see a verdict against the Secret Service and the city/state officials who are enforcing these so-called policies to safeguard the nutcase currently pretending to be President, but I guess if the detainees feel vindicated, that's about all we're going to get. Until someone dies. And that will be a tragedy.

[private_ryan]

8. "A settlement is just as much an admittance of wrongdoing as a verdict"

not really; ask anyone. They would've probably spent more in lawyer fees to defend the suit. The city won, $250k is nothing to them. Many will see it a smart business decission...

[JailForBush]

2. Why did those idiots settle?

Or did they have a choice?

I know one thing - the WTO protest was riddled with operatives. That's why it transformed from a smashing success to a cosmic failure. That is, the intitial protest was a smash...after which everyone went back to bed.

I was ready for a host of WTO protest veterans to run for office, with intelligent, hard-hitting campaigns. But the few protesters who did run for office (e.g. Sally Soriano) were corrupt operatives and/or idiots.

It's nice to see Sally's friends gave the corrupt City of Seattle a helping hand - again.

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. Violating Civil Rights

Another unfunded mandate.

[Toots]

4. Bought off cheap ~ should of been 250,000. for each of them

False arrest is fairly serious. When you deprive someone of their liberty without cause it is synonymous with kidnapping and kidnapping is a capital offense.

[RainDog]

5. Miami next?

didn't people file suit there, too?

from what I saw, the police treatment was even worse there.

[Kolesar]

6. The Miami story on salon.com

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=113&topic_id=4649

I think it was worse.

[SlainteMhath]

7. How much would Seattle taxpayers be willing to pay?

Would most agree on paying a much larger settlement? Let's say 250k for each protester?

Anyone from Seattle care to comment?

[newyawker99]

9. Hi SlainteMhath!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: