After more than 10,000 anti-war protestors marched on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago on March 20, 2003, police detained and arrested hundreds of demonstrators and bystanders. A lawsuit brought on behalf of over 800 people who were unlawfully held that night has recently been granted class action status.

The lawsuit resulting from the mass detentions and arrests at the anti-war protest in Chicago on March 20, 2003 has recently been granted class status by Judge Virginia Kendall. The significance of this ruling is that a single lawsuit will proceed on behalf of everyone who was detained or arrested that evening on Chicago Avenue, between Michigan Avenue and Mies Van Der Rohe Way. Judge Kendall’s decision supports the plaintiffs’ assessment that the class includes over 800 people and can be divided into three sub-classes. The three sub-classes include those who were detained on the street for 1 ? to 3 hours, those who were taken into custody and released without charges, and those who were taken into custody and subsequently charged.

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