NYC pays over $2 million to protestors

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- New York City is paying more than $2 million to settle a lawsuit over mass arrests during a 2003 protest against the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Police rounded up 52 persons and charged them with blocking pedestrians. After two were tried and acquitted, charges against the rest were dropped. But those arrested sued the city and police alleging their right to free speech had been abused, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

"Although defendants believe that they would ultimately have prevailed at a trial, the costs of going forward weighed in favor of a settlement at this time," said Susan Halatyn, a city lawyer.

Protesters continue to argue they did nothing deserving of arrest.

"I could not believe in my country, in my city, I could get arrested for doing absolutely nothing and standing on the sidewalk," Ahmad Shirazi, 70, said. He added that during the first arrest of his life, he told the officer that the plastic cuffs were too tight.

"He said, 'You should have thought about that before you came out this morning.' It was like a dagger in my heart, that a police officer of my city would come up with anything like that," Shirazi said.