'Occupy Philly' Members Settle Lawsuit With City
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Twenty-five people arrested when police shut down the "Occupy Philly" encampment at City Hall four years ago have agreed to settle their civil rights suit against the city and police.
The city will pay $200,000 but admits no wrongdoing.
With income inequality front and center in the presidential race, it's almost nostalgic to remember when people slept out in parks to call attention to it.
"We're also talking about economic inequality in a way that we weren't before the occupy movement," said the plaintiff's attorney Lloyd Long, who says his clients stay involved in the issue but they were ready to settle their first amendment and false arrest lawsuit.
"This is a resolution that we consider to be fair. What we were always looking to do was vindicate our clients' rights," said Long.
At the same time, assistant city solicitor Craig Straw says the city feels it's fair too, saying "There's clearly no admission of liability on the part of the city or the officers on this case."
Occupy camped on Dilworth Plaza in the Fall of 2011. They were evicted to make way for a renovation project.
