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Another lawsuit stemming from 2020 protests against racial injustice filed

Lindsay Minter claims she was targeted by police while walking to her car after leading a chant at a protest in Denver on May 30th, 2020.

DENVER — It's been nearly two years since protesters across the country, Denver included, filled the streets to march against racial injustice prompted by the murder of George Floyd. 

Several lawsuits from protesters have come out since then, claiming they suffered brutal injuries from the Denver Police Department's police response. 

Another one was filed Friday, this time by Lindsay Minter, a community advocate who participated in several of the Denver protests, as well as the protests in Aurora that called for justice for Elijah McClain.

"There was no plan for how to deal with peaceful protesters," Minter said Saturday, joined by her attorney Mari Newman. "There was no plan or organization or accountability for them, shooting less than lethal ammunition at us."

On May 30th, 2020, Minter said she led a march and chant at a protest. Afterward, she was walking towards her car, when she says there was a line of police as well as a line of protesters with, "some going back and forth." 

The lawsuit alleges that, "The police line had formed so quickly that there was no way for Ms. Minter to return to her car without passing by it. Denver police did not provide Ms. Minter with any warning or direction for a route to disperse prior to inflicting force against her."

It was then that Minter said she was shot with projectiles, including what the lawsuit identifies as a "Sting Ball Grenade."

Minter says she lost a tooth and had to get a bone extraction, among other issues and injuries. 

Credit: Foster Gaines
Lindsay Minter (left) sits with her attorney, Mari Newman (right).

She said she did not take pictures of her alleged injuries from the Denver protest. 

"People are tired," Minter said. "Black people are tired of getting killed by police officers. And we're also tired of getting attacked when we stand up and we say something about it."

The lawsuit comes nearly two months after a federal jury awarded $14 million to a dozen Denver protesters arguing excessive force, which the city plans to appeal. 

 "What we see with the cases that are being filed these days is really no surprise," said Newman. 

Newman explained that in Colorado, there's a statute of limitations for these kinds of cases that sets a two-year deadline from the alleged incident to file a suit. 

"And we will continue to do that right up until the statute of limitations, because there is nothing more important to a free government than the citizen's right to speak out when change needs to happen," Newman said. 

Minter says she also filed a lawsuit against the City of Aurora after the protests for Elijah McClain. But her attorney, Newman, said there hasn't been much movement on that particular case yet. 

"I have a unique opportunity to have my voice particularly heard, and I'm going to use my voice to speak for those who have none," Minter said. 

As of Saturday night, DPD and the City and County of Denver had not responded to a request for comment.

RELATED: $14 million awarded to protesters claiming excessive force by police

RELATED: Boulder man sues Denver Police officers, claiming he was assaulted at protest

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