Detroit Throws Out Protesters' Tickets, OKs $200K To Defend Suits

DETROIT — The city of Detroit is dismissing dozens of citations issued to anti-police brutality protesters who were ticketed for violating temporary city curfews months ago, but has approved a large allotment of money to defend itself in lawsuits filed by protesters and protest organizers.

The Detroit Law Department announced Tuesday it was dismissing the majority of citations issued between May 31 and June 2 to demonstrators who protested police brutality in the city, violating citywide curfews issued during that time, according to Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia.

"In the many months since those tickets were issued, the City Law Department and Police Department have worked to study videotape and other evidence from the events in question," Garcia said in a statement. "The departments have also considered the discretion that was exercised during that week - where, for example, citations written on June 1 were never submitted to the court, and where many protesters were not ticketed at all, despite being out after curfew.

"In light of that review, the Law Department is dismissing the majority of misdemeanor tickets issued on May 31 and June 2. Although certain cases from these two dates will be pursued, the City believes it is best to dismiss the vast majority of citations."

The decision to throw out those citations came hours before the Detroit City Council voted to spend $200,000 to defend a series of lawsuits filed by protesters, including one filed by Detroit Will Breathe, which organized protests, according to Michigan Radio.

Citywide curfews were ordered for a short period last summer, requiring people to stay off city streets after 8 p.m. due to large numbers of demonstrators. However, several people violated those curfews while protesting police brutality on May 31-June 2, city officials said. Dozens were ticketed for violating the curfew.

An attorney representing Detroit Will Breathe told The Detroit News that the city's dismissal of the curfew citations is an attempt to influence future court decisions.