Ten years ago, the police swept nearly 700 people off the streets of Washington, D.C., in an illegal mass arrest during IMF/World Bank demonstrations. Now, in the largest class action settlement of protester claims in U.S. history, totaling nearly $14 million dollars, those arrestees are each entitled to up to $18,000. This case has been litigated for the past decade by the attorneys at the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.

Claim forms must be filed by May 17, 2010! The time period for filing claims opened on February 12, 2010, and time is running out. Millions of dollars are available, but arrestees must file their claim forms-unclaimed funds will revert to the government. Please post this as widely as possible and help get the word out to everyone you know.

In addition to monetary payments, the arrest of class members will be expunged; each arrestee who participates in the settlement will receive a court order declaring his or her arrest to be legally null and void. There is also substantial equitable relief, changes in the law and to police policies and practices that have been achieved in the course of the litigation.

Click below to view the Notice to Class Members, which describes the litigation and settlement and answers questions that potential claimants may have.
answer.pephost.org/site/R..

Click below to download the Proof of Claim form, which must be filled out and timely submitted by potential claimants to the Class Administrator.
www.justiceonline.org/site/R..

Please re-post this to e-mail lists, web sites, Facebook pages or organizations where it may be viewed by potential class members. There have been notices mailed to those listed as having been arrested and follow-up communications as well as additional publication in various media outlets notifying potential class members. However, we want to do as much as possible to get the word out.

*** The class is "all persons who were detained and arrested on April 15, 2000 near the area of 20th Street, NW and I and K Streets, Washington D.C., in connection with the protest against the Prison Industrial Complex during the IMF/World Bank demonstrations." ***

The official website, established by the Class Administrator, is at www.BeckerSettlement.com. Additional materials are available there, and answers to frequently asked questions will be posted there as questions are presented to the Administrator. If you have questions, please first read the Notice to Class Members, which is in Q & A format and answers many important questions about the settlement and the process.

Click below to access the official website established by the Class Administrator:
answer.pephost.org/site/R..

Send this to everyone you know-get it on as many lists and facebook pages as possible. Time is running out-get those claim forms in now!

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) is a not-for-profit legal and educational organization which, among other things, seeks to ensure constitutional accountability within police practices. It has litigated class action lawsuits against the District of Columbia for the mass false arrests of more than 1,000 persons during First Amendment protected demonstrations. The PCJF won a unanimous ruling at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals finding the MPD's unprecedented military-style police checkpoint program unconstitutional. The PCJ previously uncovered and disclosed that the D.C. police employed an unlawful domestic spying and agent provocateur program in which officers were sent on long-term assignments posing as political activists and infiltrated lawful and peaceful groups. For more information go to: answer.pephost.org/site/R..