Legal observers with the National Lawyers Guild have filed suit against the City of Detroit, Mayor Mike Duggan, police chief James Craig and others.
The five women allege excessive force and civil rights violations by Detroit Police officers while they documented social and racial justice protests last summer.
Legal observer Marie Reimers says her interactions with Detroit Police have left her traumatized.
“I no longer feel safe setting my Home Alarm or calling the police after a fender bender. Because after the events of this summer, it became clear that the Detroit police department does not exist to help Detroiters, but to terrorize us.”
The legal observers wore vivid green hats to denote their status and did not participate in the protest marches.