A Bail Project employee is suing the city of Cleveland and police officers over his arrest last year, saying his Downtown residency exempted him from the curfew order imposed after the May 30 demonstrations and rioting.
last year as he biked to the Justice Center to post bail for people arrested during the protests over George Floyd鈥檚 killing by police. He spent a night in jail before being released on a personal bond the next day.
It was the second time police had stopped him.
The first time, earlier that day, Body was biking back into Downtown after picking up lunch. He told ideastream last year that he showed officers his ID and was allowed to go after police ran his name and issued a citation.
In the wrongful arrest lawsuit filed in federal court Monday, Body鈥檚 attorneys argued both stops were unlawful because made exceptions for Downtown residents traveling to pick up food, go home or get to and from work.
鈥淭here鈥檚 simply no probable cause to make that arrest,鈥� Eric Long, one of Body鈥檚 attorneys, told ideastream Tuesday.
The lawsuit quotes from with Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams. Asked about Body鈥檚 arrest earlier that week, the mayor and chief said they weren鈥檛 aware of it.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 arrest people just because they鈥檙e in violation of the curfew, particularly if they鈥檙e Downtown residents,鈥� Jackson said at the time.
Jackson鈥檚 office, which does not typically offer public statements on ongoing litigation, has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Long accused Cleveland of being unprepared for the demonstrations, saying the city should have trained officers better to carry out the curfew order. Body鈥檚 arrest happened not , which was a Saturday, but the Monday afterward, Long pointed out.
鈥淭his is Monday, things were calm,鈥� Long said. 鈥淎nd again, I didn鈥檛 have that problem. Other people in my shoes who were wearing suits and looking like they were going to the courthouse as a lawyer don鈥檛 have that problem. Anthony Body has that problem, and it鈥檚 unacceptable.鈥�
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