Protesters arrested during Greenville abortion protest file lawsuit against city

Protesters who were arrested during an incident at a pro-choice rally in Greenville in 2022 have filed a lawsuit against the city. In June 2022, six people were charged following an incident at a “Bans off our Bodies” rally that took place in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Protesters and counter-protesters gathered on opposite sides of Main Street, and police said attendees began trying to cross the road. Officers said the six individuals were arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Lawsuit Allegations

The lawsuit filed on June 11 claims officers used excessive force during the arrests, which conflicts with the findings of the Greenville Police Department’s internal investigation. A woman who joined the protest “took one step down off the curb to move more freely down the side of Main Street” when an officer forcibly pushed her back onto the sidewalk, the lawsuit says. She then says she tried to use the crosswalk that pedestrians were using and was arrested. When her family members moved across the street to ask why she was being put in handcuffs, her husband “was shoved to the ground with significant force by an officer” and her daughter was also taken into custody, the lawsuit says.

Excessive Force Allegations

When her husband stood up and tried to ask why they were being arrested, the lawsuit claims he was “picked up and violently thrown to the ground by an officer.” Another family member who tried to ask why her sister was being handcuffed was pushed to the ground, causing her to fall in the crosswalk, before being arrested, the suit claims. A fourth woman who was concerned about her condition moved to check on her before reportedly being pushed to the ground and handcuffed. All five people were held overnight in the Greenville County Detention Center. They are now suing for gross negligence, false imprisonment, abuse of process, and malicious prosecution.

Media Attention and Impact

“This incident received significant press attention not only in Greenville and in South Carolina, but also throughout the country and around the world,” the lawsuit states. “This led to repeated and intrusive press inquiries as well as questions from friends, family members, and other members of the community regarding the arrests, causing Plaintiffs undue stress, anxiety, and embarrassment.” A jury trial has been demanded by the plaintiffs.

City’s Response

FOX Carolina reached out to the City of Greenville for comment on the lawsuit. Last year, FOX Carolina obtained details from a Freedom of Information Act request that said the Greenville Police Department reviewed the officers’ actions and found that they acted within the department’s policy.

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