Charlotte City and Police Settle with Civil Rights Groups Over Protest Tactics

Civil rights groups announced Friday that they have reached a settlement with the City of Charlotte and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department over tactics used by police during last year's protests and riots.

The settlement comes more than one year after the American Civil Liberties Union, the Charlotte Chapter of the NAACP and other groups filed a lawsuit over actions taken by the police department during a June 2 protest.

The lawsuit said police arranged a violent attack on peaceful protesters, which included trapping them in a tactic called “kittling” and using less-lethal projectiles and gas on them, WSOC reports.

According to the ACLU, the terms of the settlement force extensive revisions to CMPD directives, including a ban on the use of CS tear gas during protests and a ban on the use of chemical weapons to “kettle” or trap protesters. The agreement reportedly states that dispersal orders must be communicated clearly and repeatedly in English and Spanish, allowing protesters reasonable time to disperse.

There is also a provision that prohibits CMPD from directing pepper balls at protesters’ heads and necks, according to the ACLU. Officials said the agreement also states that bikes cannot be used as weapons during protests, except when someone poses a threat to safety.