Minneapolis expected to settle suit with journalists who covered 2020 protests
The Minneapolis City Council is expected to vote Thursday on a settlement stemming from a lawsuit filed on behalf of journalists who claimed law enforcement officers targeted them in 2020.
Lead plaintiff Jared Goyette and other journalists allege Minneapolis police and state troopers intentionally tear-gassed and fired rubber bullets at them as they tried to cover protests which followed the police killing of George Floyd.
The lawsuit complaint lists incidents which involve journalists being detained by police and suffering serious injuries at the hands of officers.
Freelance photographer Linda Tirado was partially blinded after being hit in the face with a “less than lethal” projectile allegedly fired by law enforcement officers. Minneapolis later paid a $600,000 settlement to Tirado.
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Two years ago, the ACLU reached an $825,000 settlement with the State Patrol on behalf of Goyette and other journalists. The agreement includes several restrictions going forward including prohibiting troopers from attacking, threatening or arresting journalists.
However, that agreement didn’t resolve the journalists’ claims involving Minneapolis Police officers.
According to court records, the parties reached a settlement earlier this week. However the amount of the settlement was not made public. The council will meet in closed session to consider the settlement and will take a public vote.
The City of Minneapolis has paid out at least $9 million in lawsuit settlements which involve police officer conduct during the unrest which followed Floyd’s murder by then officer Derek Chauvin.