BPD, City Law Dept. Reach Agreement With Artscape 2016 Protesters

BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ) — A settlement has been reached between the Baltimore City Police Department, The City Law Department, and Baltimore Bloc, related to a protest held during the 2016 Artscape event.

The lawsuit from Baltimore Bloc claims city officers unlawfully arrested several members of the grassroots collective at a peaceful protest during Artscape 2016 and that, following the arrests, the members were held in transportation vehicles in deplorable conditions.

The Baltimore Police Department denied the allegations, stating its officers lawfully arrested protesters who impeded traffic on I-83 and that those arrested were treated humanely.

According to BPD, the lawsuit closed with a "fair resolution that empowered the community members to achieve the fundamental goal of their lawsuit, participating in, and in fact promoting, real systemic change in the Baltimore Police Department,"

The City Law Department, BPD, and Baltimore Bloc agreed to proposed revisions to existing police policies that have been or will be submitted to the Court Monitor for review and approval.

The agreement also states that the city will pay $17,000, each to nine individual plaintiffs who are a part of the lawsuit.

Baltimore Bloc tweeted a statement in response to the settlement Wednesday:

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