Black Lawmakers Sue NYPD for Beating, Pepper-Spraying Them During BLM Protest [Photo + Video]

“The experience was a painful and humiliating reminder that following the rules and complying with police orders does not protect Black Americans from police brutality, not even Black Americans who have ascended to elected office,” the suit reads.

Along with unspecified damages, the suit also asks that a judge declare certain police tactics illegal, such as “kettling,” which is when officers surround protesters from all sides. The New York Times reports that with this and several other suits stemming from the protests, the city potentially faces millions of dollars in payouts.

Myrie and Richardson claim that after kettling the group of protesters, police, without warning, used their bicycles to hit them. Myrie said he was hit in the back and in the legs while Richardson was struck in the stomach. They added that after ignoring protesters’ cries and not giving any verbal instructions, the cops pepper-sprayed both of them in the face.

The Department of Investigation previously found that many New York officers violated protesters’ civil rights during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations last year. However, NYT reports, only a handful of the cops were disciplined.