– St. Louis City settled for a $4.9 million over 2017 protest arrests
– Compensation has begun to distribute to the arrestees
– Responsible officer was acquitted in the shooting of Anthony Lamar Smith
Finalizing the Settlement
After a period of consequential legal skirmish, the final chapter in the controversial fallout over the 2017 protest arrests in St. Louis City may soon come to a close. The city had agreed earlier this year to a hefty $4.9 million settlement, which is now being distributed to those arrested during the sharp civic unrest.
Background to Conflict
Disquiet had sparked into full-blown protests back in 2017, following the acquittal of a white police officer in the shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith. The series of protests, unfortunately, culminated in a series of arrests that have been called into question since.
Where the Money is Going
With the settlement funds now being parceled out, recipients of this settlement are those directly impacted by the events of the tumultuous protests. Recompense serves as acknowledgment of their ordeal and an attempt to remedy the violation of their rights.
The Breezy Take
It’s a significant move for the city of St. Louis, choosing monetary recompense as an option towards making amends for past injustices. However, the distribution of settlement cash is a band-aid on the larger wound. True healing and change will be seen only when there’s systemic reform, improved racial equity, and the continued acknowledgment of past errors — only then can we begin to move forward constructively on issues of civic unrest and police misconduct. It’s a start, but we’ve a long road ahead.
Original article: https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/st-louis-police-protesters-begin-picking-up-checks-in-4-9-million-settlement/