Minneapolis will pay $165,000 to zombies

[Bjorn Against]

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

Minneapolis will pay $165,000 to zombies
Minneapolis will pay seven people who were jailed after a street theater protest.

By RANDY FURST, Star Tribune
Last update: August 23, 2010 - 12:20 AM

The Minneapolis city attorney's office has decided to pay seven zombies and their attorney $165,000.

The payout, approved by the City Council on Friday, settles a federal lawsuit the seven filed after they were arrested and jailed for two days for dressing up like zombies in downtown Minneapolis on July 22, 2006, to protest "mindless" consumerism.

When arrested at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and 6th Street N., most of them had thick white powder and fake blood on their faces and dark makeup around their eyes. They were walking in a stiff, lurching fashion and carrying four bags of sound equipment to amplify music from an iPod when they were arrested by police who said they were carrying equipment that simulated "weapons of mass destruction."

However, they were never charged with any crime.


Read more: http://www.startribune.com/local/101273159.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUZ

[Ken Burch]

1. Hey, I like "Time Of The Season" too....

But is THIS really an appropriate use of taxpayers' funds?

[Supply Side Jesus]

2. Amazing how stuff goes right over their heads...

"does not compute...arrest"
embarrassing...

[annm4peace]

3. There are more lawsuits are pending from pre 2008 RNC and during RNC

It was really crazy when they were arrested. There are protests in the Twin Cities all the time, and there has been many street theater protests.. but as we got closer to 2008, the worse the police and arrests were.

I am so very glad to see this.

there is another group facing a trial in Sept or maybe Oct. We are still waiting to hear back from the Judges ruling if there will be a trial for the RNC 8. The 8 "anarchists" arrested before the RNC.

http://rnc8.org/

[Lautremont]

4. "Seven zombies and their attorney"

That's like a George Romero premise in his satirical prime. Who are the real monsters here?

[zzapatista]

5. Protesting mindless consumerism with their iPod and four bags of sound eq...

[thelordofhell]

7. You beat me to it

Protesting mindless consumerism with an iPod probably full of tunes they stole off the internet. And they wonder why they're Zombies?

[Randomthought]

6. I live in Minneapolis

and I paid $5,000 in property taxes this year. I'm really loving paying out settlements for the idiot cops-:sarcasm:

[Chicago dyke]

10. then get your city council

to fire the chief of police and the officers responsible for this. it's ridiculous. i don't know if those folks still work for your city, but if they do, they'll cost you more money in the future.

[struggle4progress]

8. Wait ... it's not actually against the law for zombies to parade in Minneapolis?

That doesn't seem right. What does Buffy have to say about this?

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Zombies don't want money ... they want b r a a a a i n s .... nt

[Nihil]

11. "seven zombies and their attorney" ... that's eight zombies then?

:hide:

[saigon68]

12. The 8th one has a contingent fee agreement

1/3 of the recovery plus the "costs"

[kirby]

13. Terrorist/WMD charge was used?

Unbelievable. They were arrested because their ipod/speakers 'looked like' 'weapons of mass destruction'. Unbelievable.