Black Lives Matter Lawsuit Claims Mass Detention of LA Protesters

A recent Black Lives Matter Los Angeles class action lawsuit challenges the arrest of protesters from peaceful protests over police brutality.

According to the police brutality class action lawsuit, the Los Angeles Police Department has arrested more than 2,600 peaceful protesters over the course of a week. Black Lives Matter Los Angeles argues the protesters have had their rights violated by these arrests.

One plaintiff in the case, Linus Shentu, was reportedly participating in a peaceful protest in the Hollywood area along with Cangress – a homeless and poverty advocate organization – when he was arrested by police officers. Shentu, his partner and his partner’s sister were allegedly pulled out of their vehicle and lined up by a building with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.

In total, 30 individuals were reportedly subject to these unfair arrests following the peaceful protest – forcing them to be detained in uncomfortable positions for a long period of time. Detained protesters were allegedly held handcuffed on busses without access to basic necessities such as bathrooms, water or food.

Another plaintiff, Weston Rowland, says he was hit with rubber bullets while trying to help a woman who had fallen down trying to escape police brutality. Allegedly, he has sustained extensive bruising and pain as a result of the excessive force used against him.

An additional plaintiff, a homeless man referred to only as “Cincinnati” in the class action lawsuit, was reportedly hit in the face with a rubber bullet despite being in a wheelchair. Before being shot in the face, Cincinnati allegedly pleaded with police to not use excessive force.

The plaintiffs say they and many other protesters were the victims of police brutality. Excessive force and indiscriminate arrests have allegedly injured protesters who were peacefully advocating for the end to police brutality.

Unfortunately, the Black Lives Matter class action lawsuit claims these measures are nothing new.

“This was not the first time that the LAPD has engaged in these tactics,” the police brutality class action lawsuit claims.

“Over the course of the last several decades, the Defendant City has been sued repeatedly for many of the same tactics on display the past week, including kettling protestors before declaring an unlawful assembly, excessive force with batons and rubber bullets, and prolonged handcuffing and improper conditions of confinement for arrestees.”

The plaintiffs argue that their rights were violated by the Los Angeles Police Department’s actions, including rights guaranteed to them under the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

According to the LAist, LAPD Chief Michel Moore has largely defending the actions of his officers in response to the peaceful protests, despite claims of police brutality. However, the chief has reportedly promised to investigate various reports of police brutality and release body cam footage only to protesters who claim to have been the victims of police brutality.

Police Brutality & Peaceful Protest Legal Action

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles recently took action regarding another peaceful protest issue – the widespread curfews implemented in Southern California. According to the previous lawsuit, the curfews are unlawful and unconstitutional because they limit Californians’ ability to peacefully protest.

“Their truly extraordinary suppression of literally all political protest after dark plainly violates the First Amendment,” the lawsuit argues. “Their blanket restriction on all movement during those hours violates the Constitution’s protection for freedom of movement.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota also took legal action recently against Minneapolis and the city’s police department, claiming that reporters covering peaceful protest events have been the victim of policy brutality. Allegedly, reporters have been hit with rubber bullets, marker rounds and tear gas without warning or reason.

Have you experienced police brutality during a peaceful protest? Share your story in the comments section below.

Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, other plaintiffs, and the proposed Class are represented by Cynthia Anderson Barker of the National Lawyers Guild; Paul Hoffman and John Washington of Schonbrun Seplow Harris & Hoffman LLP; R. Brent Wisner, Pedram Esfandiary, Bijan Esfandiari, and Monique Alarcon of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman PC; Barrett S. Litt and Lindsay Battles of Kay McLane Bednarski & Litt; Olu Orange of Orange Law Offices; Carol A. Sobel and Katherine Robinson of the Law Office of Carol A. Sobel; and Jorge Gonzalez, Colleen Flynn, and Matthew Strugar.

The Black Lives Matter Police Brutality Class Action Lawsuit is Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, et al. v. City of Los Angeles, et al., Case No. 2:20-cv-05027, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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