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Portland is poised to pay $300,000 to settle a 2020 lawsuit accusing police of battery as they cleared protesters at a rally in North Portland. The settlement is scheduled to be approved by the City Council tomorrow.
A lawyer on the case, Jason Kafoury, says it would be the city’s largest settlement to date stemming from accusations of police brutality at the 2020 protests.
In the complaint, Michael Weisdorf accused police of knocking him twice to the ground and fracturing his arm in multiple places as he left a July 18 protest in front of police union headquarters on North Lombard Street.
The alleged assault was caught on video by bystanders. “They just broke my arm and left me in the street,” Weisdorf later told The Oregonian. He spent two days in the hospital.
“While I’m pleased that the city has acknowledged the brutal injury I suffered at the hands of the Police Bureau, we have yet to address the bureau’s overly militaristic and racially discriminatory culture,” Weisdorf said in a statement released to the media. “Real accountability and police reform remains unfinished business in this city.”
The lawsuit, against the city of Portland, names no cops. But, WW reported the following year that the city had hired outside legal counsel to represent Detective Erik Kammerer, also known as “Officer 67,” for allegations pertaining to the complaint.
The case was settled in September, and the City Council will vote whether to approve the $300,000 payout on Wednesday. “The lawsuit has been investigated by Risk Management Services. The investigation indicates there is risk the city may be found liable,” the agenda item reads.