Oakland, CA — Demonstrations in Oakland following George Floyd’s murder in May 2020 stretched thin law enforcement resources, requiring the Oakland Police Department (“OPD”) to rely heavily on mutual aid from other law enforcement agencies. OPD’s crowd control efforts and its responsibility for the actions of mutual aid agencies were challenged in a federal class action lawsuit filed shortly after the demonstrations commenced. The lawsuit primarily claimed that law enforcement officers used excessive force and violated some demonstrators’ free speech rights. In the course of two years of litigation, including the entry of a preliminary injunction, stipulation to a class action for injunctive relief, and extensive discovery, the City and plaintiffs reached a settlement earlier this year. Today the court granted final approval of the class settlement. Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker released the following statement:

“Outrage and mourning in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder triggered nationwide protests and a movement demanding policing reform, a watershed moment in our nation. This settlement is consistent with Oakland’s commitment to protect demonstrators’ First Amendment rights to peacefully protest while allowing police to employ reasonable means to provide a safe environment for protestors and bystanders. The injunction will result in reasonable modifications to the Oakland Police Department’s crowd control policy, many of which also are mandated by recent changes in state law. The settlement also provides for additional training, and a process for plaintiffs’ counsel to bring concerns about future crowd control incidents to the court for a five-year period.”