Photo by JEFFERSON SIEGEL. Chelsea Elliott in anguish after she was pepper sprayed by high-ranking cop in Union Square in 2011.
Total Settlement For Six People Pepper Sprayed Was $332,500
Note: The two cases discussed below were part of a settlement of six Occupy settlements. New York City agreed to pay more than $330,000 to six Occupy Wall Street protesters who said police unjustly doused them with pepper spray during a demonstration that helped launched the movement into the spotlight. The recently reached settlements, ranged from $52,500 to $60,000 per person, or a total of $332,500, are just some of the payouts arising from the early days of the protests against economic inequalities that began in September 2011.
Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna who pepper sprayed the six people was not charged with a crime. He was docked 10 vacation days and transferred from Manhattan to Staten Island after the video went viral.
Two Occupy Wall Street protesters who were pepper sprayed by a high-ranking cop have settled their lawsuits for $60,000 each, the Daily News has learned.
Chelsea Elliott and Jeanne Mansfield, whose payout is the most awarded to any individual Occupy Wall Street protesters, sued the city and Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna in Manhattan Federal Court for blinding them with the spray during a protest on Sept. 24, 2011 near Union Square.
“I’m gracious and thankful that we were able to hold them accountable. Freedom of speech is important,” Elliott told The News.
Elliott, 28 of San Francisco and Mansfield of Boston learned about the settlement after the city quietly filed last week.
“It’s crazy watching [the video] now, seeing it all happen again, it was surreal and strange,” said Elliott.
Their lawyer, Aymen Aboushi, said, “If [the spraying] wasn’t captured on video, the police would have said they were being disorderly, it would have been their word against my clients. The video helped us get to the heart of the matter and help settle the case.”
Last year, the city agreed to pay $583,000 in settlements to 14 Occupy Wall Street protesters from a 2012 News Year’s Day demonstration.