CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A Chicago City Council committee has approved a nearly one million dollar settlement to a man hurt while protesting near Trump Tower in 2020.
The council's finance committee agreed this week to pay $750,000 in compensation to Bryan Mejia. Officials said he suffered a torn ACL and leg fracture near Trump Tower the night of May 30, 2020 when large scale protests broke out following the murder of George Floyd.
25 members voted in favor for the payments, while six voted "no", according to claims that Mejia was the target of a racial slur from an officer and that there is no proof he "acted outrageously" to provoke the injuries.
However, Alderman Brendan Reilly and others expressed concerns that the decision could inspire protesters to get physical with police during this summer's Democratic National Convention.
“The last thing we want to do is help folks monetize bad behavior. Given all of the organizing that’s being planned to disrupt the convention, my concern is that approving settlements like this could help fuel that fire,” he said.
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