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| Fifth Column |
| Local businesses suing 90 protesters for property damage during Cincinnati riots |
| 2020-10-19 |
| [WKRC] A local real estate company is suing dozens of protesters in a class action lawsuit. Several nights of protests that turned to riots left buildings in Cincinnati neighborhoods damaged. Court St. Executive Suites fell victim. Now, they are suing to pay for the damages. "The windows were broken and some sort of contaminant was thrown inside the building on furniture, the walls, and the carpeting," said Blessing. Attorney Bill Blessing represents the business. The suit wants to represent other businesses that were looted, vandalized, or damaged during the unrest. It is targeting 90 protesters who were arrested. "Each of those people were arrested in connection with the rioting. Some were charged with more serious crimes, some less serious. All were non-compliant with police orders," said Blessing. Defense attorney Erik Laursen represents a person named in the lawsuit. He said his client was peacefully protesting and wasn’t arrested in the Court St. area. "The one person that I am representing, his case has already been dismissed and expunged. Yet, he is named in this lawsuit," said Laursen. The suit alleges the 90 people were aiding, abetting, or promoting riotous acts. "I’m not sure where all of these allegations are coming from, other than a desire to try and bring a bunch of OTR, Walnut Hills, and Clifton Heights businesses together against the protests," said Laursen. Blessing told Local 12 Ohio law says the city cannot be held responsible. His client wants those who damaged property to pay. "We learned in kindergarten you clean up your own mess," said Blessing. "That is what we are seeking to have them do. It’s something very primary." The first court date will be in December. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #7 It usually is, #4 P2k. :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara 2020-10-19 19:50 |
| #6 More from Cincinnati.com: Windows were broken in Downtown, Over-the-Rhine and near the University of Cincinnati and police said multiple businesses were looted. The city instituted a curfew and arrested around 500 people in about 4 days in late May and early June. The class action lawsuit was filed by Court Street Executive Suites. The business is asking the court for the the lawsuit to represent all businesses and property owners who experienced damage as a result of the incidents. The lawsuit compares the unrest this summer in Cincinnati to the 1884 courthouse riot which left 50 people dead and burned the courthouse to the ground. It states both incidents were spurred on by "the perceived unfairness of the criminal justice system. "(In 1884), each member of the rioting crowd was civilly and criminally responsible, because each encouraged, aided, or participated in the riot," the lawsuit states. The lawsuit says the protests this summer "turned into riot, which continued for three nights: a concerted course of arson, assaults, damage to public property and business establishments, as well as extensive looting." Lawyer William Blessing is representing Court Street Executive Suites, which owns the building were Blessing's office resides. Blessing said he also associated with the ownership of the building beyond representing the company legally. Blessing said in other states the law allows businesses to sue the municipal government for failing to maintain the peace, but Ohio does not allow for that, so his clients are seeking compensation straight from the alleged perpetrators. He said the defendants were chosen based on arrest reports related to the protests and unrest. Blessing said his investigation is continuing and more defendants could be added to the case. "Those who participated, connived, conspired, tacitly consented to, aided, abetted, ratified, or encouraged the rioting are just as responsible for the injuries and damages as are the specific perpetrators," the lawsuit states. Of the 90 charged in the lawsuit:
Lawyer Jennifer Kinsley is representing some of the defendants named in the lawsuit. She said the city's basis for charging her clients with misconduct in an emergency was solely because they were outside after curfew. "They were engaged in ongoing peaceful protest and others were just trying to return to their cars or their residences to comply with the order, but were unable to do so due to the large crowd." Kinsley said she is going to work to have the lawsuit dismissed for her clients, many of whom she says are indigent and have no money to pay damages even if they were responsible for property damage. "This isn't 1884. This is 2020," Kinsley said. "We respect the right of free speech and we do not sue people for other people's actions." |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2020-10-19 09:54 |
| #5 The suit alleges the 90 people were aiding, abetting, or promoting riotous acts. Interesting. If it succeeds, there could be a very useful precedent that can be used to go after Blamtifa's enablers in the various DA offices and city councils around the country |
| Posted by: Jumbo Guelph1807 2020-10-19 07:21 |
| #4 Discovery process could be interesting. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2020-10-19 06:28 |
| #3 Sue them and the Protest organizers and the protest group(s) Sponsors and $$$$ backers. |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2020-10-19 06:00 |
| #2 I’ve no idea, Skidmark. Cincinnati had regular BLM marches-cum-riots for a while starting at the end of May, as seen in the archives. But we’d been hunkered down for ages by that point, so I didn’t pay close attention beyond doing up articles for Rantburg. But Gateway Pundit has video here. I just hope Mr. Blessing, esq. collects a huge client list for this, and on their behalf nails those miscreants to a wall. And their paymasters, too. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2020-10-19 03:18 |
| #1 What's the sense of the story from our reporter on the ground? |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2020-10-19 00:46 |