The City of Philadelphia reached a $9.25 million settlement with 343 protesters who were hit with tear gas and pepper spray during the 2020 George Floyd demonstrations, the city said in a statement. The protesters, who included residents of West Philadelphia, filed a class action suit alleging “physical and emotional injuries” caused by the city’s response to demonstrations on May 31 and June 1, 2020, to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the city said.
The $9.25 million will be distributed among the 343 demonstrators and their attorneys, but damages will vary. Additionally, the city will provide $500,000-$600,000 in grants to the Bread & Roses Community Fund, which provides free mental health counseling to West Philadelphia residents.
