Denver ordered to pay damages for police response to George Floyd protests

Denver must be held accountable for its violent police response to racial justice protesters in the summer of 2020, setting the stage for similar lawsuits nationwide, a federal jury in Denver decided Friday.

The city government must pay $14 million collectively to the 12 protesters who accused police of utilizing unnecessary force, including the use of tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets. The decision marks the first time a jury has held a city liable for violating protesters’ First Amendment rights during the nationwide protests that occurred after George Floyd‘s death in 2020.