Los Angeles pays $12.85 million to May Day marchers and bystanders

  Members of the Los Angeles City Council agreed unanimously today to pay $12.85 million to immigration demonstrators and bystanders who sued the city claiming they were injured or mistreated by police officers during the May Day 2007 melee in MacArthur Park. The payout will settle nine lawsuits against the city.

The settlement is another blow to the city’s treasury related to LAPD misconduct in the midst of serious budgetary problems. The settlement of the May Day cases comes on the heels of the council’s approval last week of a $20.5-million payout to four current and former police officers who claimed they were falsely arrested and mistreated in the wake of the scandal involving the police department's Rampart Division.

The council still faces other legal troubles related to the May Day incident--there were 27 pending cases related to the demonstration before today’s settlement, according to officials with the city attorney. Only one case involving a broken camera had been settled.

Forty-two people, including nine journalists, were injured as a pro-immigration march wound down in MacArthur Park on May 1. LAPD officials said the scuffle was set off by a group of agitators who threw bottles and other objects at police. The department’s Metro Division used batons and fired rubber bullets to disperse what was a predominantly peaceful gathering.
 
Chief William J. Bratton said the fracas was an aberration for the department, but promised it would lead to changes in policy and training. He called the decision of his officers to use that level of force a “command and control breakdown.”

In response to the incident, Bratton announced that he was disciplining 11 officers and calling for the termination of four. In another step toward preventing a recurrence, Bratton set up a new bureau known as the Critical Incident Management Bureau that overseas major events and protests.

-- Maeve Reston and Joel Rubin

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Katty]

I find the payout to be disgustingly irresponsible.....next time the jerks, protesters, will do anything and everything to cause problems in hopes of also receiving a payoff. HOW SAD!
MONEY IS NOT THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING.

[Kimberly]

Cops have a very disenfranchised attitude toward the general public as a whole. They think they are above the law (because they get away with so much) and they treat people like trash. They are desensitized by their environment and they know no accountability. Everyone covers up for everyone all the way from the top to the bottom and vice/versa and this is the unwritten rule of law enforcement. It needs to change and I don't understand why the L.A.P.D. does not fire these bullies for instigating and creating the havoc on that day. A man is just a man in a uniform. I am pretty sick of hearing about shady/bully cops who hide behind their badge to hit, taser, harass, etc. people just because THEY CAN.

[LL]

You can't throw money at a problem. We don't have enough as it is.

[Kimberly]

Cops have a very disenfranchised attitude toward the general public as a whole. They think they are above the law (because they get away with so much) and they treat people like trash. They are desensitized by their environment and they know no accountability. Everyone covers up for everyone all the way from the top to the bottom and vice/versa and this is the unwritten rule of law enforcement. It needs to change and I don't understand why the L.A.P.D. does not fire these bullies for instigating and creating the havoc on that day. A man is just a man in a uniform. I am pretty sick of hearing about shady/bully cops who hide behind their badge to hit, taser, harass, etc. people just because THEY CAN.

[Jamal]

About $305k for each of 42 protesters. Where do I sign up to get roughed up by the LAPD?

[boo boo]

This money should be deducted from the salaries of the officers involved!
WHY should we the tax payers be punished for out of control police?

Money is the ONLY thing people respond to so if the police knew they were going to be held financially responsible they wouldn't go around abusing, lying, killing, destroyning lives etc etc.

MONEY is the answer and especially in these hard times!

[Freddy]

The Mayor of LA is PRO Immigration and PRO ILLEGAL Immigration... This is what I expected... If I ever get around these people and a scuffle breaks out, I will sue the organizers of the demonstration and bust some heads in the meantime.

[Sara]

Very disturbing that civil disobedience is being rewarded. This payout will motivate people to continue to sue. Nice going City Council- just give it away.

[Jason]

How much will it take to clean up LA's mess with police officers' actions and fire fighters hazing. Can the City afford $40-50? million of wasted taxpayer money.

Let's spend a few million and ensure that our civil service act responsibility with good solid training and background checks. But our government is not proactive and thus taxpayers pay the price.

[Manuel]

In light of all this I really wish I would have been there and gotten hit. This has got to be the easiest way to make money.

[Tip And Ring]

Money may not be the answer to everything but it will buy you a big enough yacht to pull up along side of it.

[Bill Baker]

I hope the City Council also voted to pay for using by reducing payroll accounts. It's hard to see why residents should have to pay for the incompetence of city employees (police or otherwise) in either higher taxes or fees or reduced services.

[AVRIL]

THIS IS JUST GREAT, MORE MONEY GOING TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. AND IT'S HAPPENING AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, WHEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS GOING BROKE BECAUSE OF THEM. I HOPE PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS SOME EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO ELIMINATE THE SUPPORT OF NON-U.S. CITIZENS.THIS IS TRULY UNBELIEVABLE!!

[deh]

I want the agitators parents to pay for this. What joke. This is the new way to becpme a millionaire in LA and taxpayers have to pay for it! Where is the sanity?

[Lauro]

Score one more point for illegality, violent conduct by these so called "agitators", and a big win for the open borders crowd. LA Times and the like want to see us not enforce our borders. Maybe some cops were out of line
that day, but for LA City not to fight this is ridiculous. Let those who are here
illegaly and their "supporters" make public policy while the rest of us pay out.
Where were the cops when the anti-illegal immigration demostration got shut down by the other side. Did LA Times, MALDEF, LA RAZA & ACLU come to their defense? Sad day for all.

[Miguel]

or... how about the LAPD stop being so "disgustingly irresponsible"?

This blame-the-victim approach is very irresponsible and hateful. We should place blame, not only, on the LAPD, but on all those who continually support the negative, hateful, (Dare I say it? Yes I do...) racist, and costly culture of the police department.

This economic struggle we find ourselves in is largely due to our inability to regulate what all these big companies do.

We need to turn our attention to regulating all these institutions that pretty much rule our lives... hence the purpose of protests! If we don't, how are we going to recover from a bankruptcy of morals?

[El Guapo]

Hilarious...

And let me guess, it's a total payout going to people that are here illegally.

[Brian]

People actually have a RIGHT to protest. Since the Chief of Police acknowledged that his officers mishandled and misjudged the situation, I think that pretty well says it all. What's unfortunate is that those responsible (the police) aren't the ones who pay. Just as with the racist/sexist actions of the L.A. Fire Department, the tab gets passed along to the taxpayers, allowing those who acted improperly to pretty much get off with few if any meaningful consequences. As long as there is a disconnect between those who act and those who pay, this kind of thing is likely to continue.

[Robt Vesco, Jr]

Dear Katty,

If there shouldn't be a monetary settlement for people who were illegally beaten -- including journalists who had valid press passes -- how do you suggest the LAPD be punished to an extent that might prevent this from happening again?

Also, when you say "jerks," do you mean families who were picnicking at Macarthur Park and were never given any notice to leave before they were beaten?

I'm sure we'd all love to hear your solution.

I'm also fascinated to know why you even bother to read the LA Times when you don't seem to think reporters should be protected from rampaging cops who were, even in the opinion of the LA police chief, their own boss, wildly out of control.

[Marie]

So all you need to do nowadays is cause a ruckus, protest, or get yourself in trouble with the police so they can shove you and you can collect millions.... ? Have multiple babies at one time, taxpayers foot the bill. Cause trouble and if the police touch you in any way, you can sue for millions. No wonder the economy and California are a big mess!!!!

[LA resident]

Irresponsible? I say turn the table and put into perspective the irresponsibility of the city and police department. I doubt those protesters were looking for a payout...but seems to me that is what people want to believe. Would you like to take a rubber bullet for exercising your rights???
Money is not the answer to everything but it sure gets attention doesn't it!

[Karl Overmann]

Absolutetly spineless. It must be easy to reach a "settlement" when's it not your money your're dealing with, but the taxpayers. A great way to undermine any remaining authority of the police departments. Next time an officer accidentally brushes past me, or steps on my foot, I'll be sure to file a complaint with the city so I too can collect thousands of dollars! Just plain lunacy.
Note to City Council - grow a backbone.

[mike rose]

Good to see tax payers money going to the illegals, when will the citizens of L.A. wise up to this shambles?

[Rosee]

Thank you City Council for giving the green light to future troublemakers. If a camera was broke...a person who was actually hurt...then pay those bills and nothing else!
We shouldn't be approving these "May Day" gettogethers! May Day was started and is a Communist Event.
Everytime our City Gov approves one of these marches, protests, gettogethers..it costs us..the taxpayers a pretty penny. Yes..I'm aware that they have the right to protest..but the organizers seem to have another agenda!

With the economy the way it is...to the City officials..why do you still bankroll the Fiesta Broadway every year? I'm sick of paying for the police overtime, sanitation to clean up and not to mention the total closure of many of our streets that downtown dwellers cannot use!

[Matt]

You are right Katty. Money isn't the answer to everything. But do you really think the LAPD is ready to undergo a massive reform in policy? Until that day comes, unfortunately, monetary compensation will be the only way that the LAPD will admit incopetance and wrong doing.