$1 Million to 175 WTO Protesters from 1999

[DCKit]

Seattle is paying BIG.

[Warpy]

1. Link?

Back story?

We don't all live in Seattle and some of us need to be reminded of some of the details.

[uppityperson]

3. People protesting got gassed, beaten, arrested, imprisioned

unlawfully. Yes, there were some people taking advantage of the protests to advance their own causes (looting), but the ones in this lawsuit were protesting their taken away right to protest and their unlawful imprisonment. Link below in reply below.

[uppityperson]

2. Here is a link and numbers. Not quite "BIG"

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003647761_webwto02m.html

The city of Seattle will pay $1 million to WTO protesters who were arrested in Westlake Park seven years ago and will clear their records, in a settlement announced today.

The money will cover the plaintiffs' legal fees, with the rest divided among 160 protesters, who will get roughly $3,000 to $10,000 per person, said Mike Withey, their attorney.

"We think the cash settlement does send a message that what Seattle did was wrong and we shouldn't have been denied our constitutional rights," said Ken Hankin, a Boeing engineer and one of the arrested protesters.

The $1 million will come from the city's insurer, not taxpayers, Withey said. The city has already paid $800,000 to settle multiple claims involving police misconduct during the WTO protests...(more@link for those interested)

[shance]

4. That's really very little compensation, especially to 175 people.

n/t