Chicago Takes Out NATO Protest Insurance

Claims from demonstrators are not unheard of but can be extremely lengthy to litigate

Chicago has taken out protest insurance for the NATO Summit.

Insurance purchased by the NATO host committee will cover, among other things, potential police brutality and civil rights claims filed by demonstrators, a law department spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

The Host Committee would not elaborate on how much it has paid for the policies, and law department spokeswoman Kathleen Strand declined to say how much coverage is provided.

"The insurance coverage is being paid for by the Host Committee at no cost to taxpayers," Strand said in a statement. "The coverage is provided as part of a comprehensive insurance package that has been assembled and structured to ensure that there is significant insurance coverage during the NATO summit."

Such claims from demonstrators are not unheard of but can be extremely lengthy to litigate. Hundreds sued the city after incidents at a 2003 anti-war march. That suit was settled in February for more than $6 million dollars.
 

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