Pratt et al vs. City Of Toledo et al

Case Background

On June 4, 2022, Plaintiff Saray Pratt and others filed a civil rights lawsuit in the United States District Court, Ohio Northern (Case number: 3:21cv1111). The lawsuit sought justice for the violations of their constitutional rights, including allegations of police brutality and excessive force during the May 2020 protest. Judge James G. Carr presided over this case.

Cause

On May 30, 2020, hundreds of protesters peacefully gathered in Toledo, Ohio, to stand against police brutality and racial injustice following the murder of George Floyd. This demonstration was part of a global movement spanning 2,000 cities across 60 countries. Protesters assembled near the Toledo Police Safety Building, waving signs, chanting slogans, and listening to activist speakers. The event remained peaceful until the Toledo Police escalated the situation. Officers deployed drones overhead to monitor the crowd and later used excessive force, including firing rubber bullets, wooden projectiles, and deploying chemical agents. Exercising their First Amendment rights, Protesters posed no threat to public safety or law enforcement. However, the police indiscriminately targeted demonstrators, firing projectiles and unleashing pepper spray to disperse the crowd. This unnecessary escalation by law enforcement turned a peaceful protest into a scene of chaos and fear, leaving many participants traumatized. The excessive force used by the police highlighted glaring issues of accountability and disregard for civil rights.

Injuries

The Toledo Police's use of excessive force caused severe injuries to numerous protesters. Saray Pratt, a peaceful demonstrator holding a "Black Lives Matter" sign, suffered four tibia fractures