New York City to Pay Occupy Wall Street Over $300K

"��People's Library" books fill a table at a news conference given by representatives of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011. The books were among those carted away by sanitation workers on November 15 when police raided and dismantled the Occupy Wall Street encampment in New York City. (AP Photo/David Caruso.)

The City of New York agreed on Tuesday to settle a lawsuit awarding more than $365,000 to Occupy Wall Street protesters (remember them?) and others who say their property was destroyed when the New York Police Department raided Zuccotti Park on Nov. 15, 2011.

“The settlement includes $47,000 in damages for Occupy Wall Street's 5,500 book library, most of which was destroyed or damaged during a … raid,” writes Gawker’s Taylor Berman.

The raid, according to the settlement, either destroyed or irreparably damaged hundreds of books.

“The city also agreed to pay $186,350 in legal costs to Occupy Wall Street's lawyers,” Berman adds.

"Our clients are pleased," OWS attorney Normal Siegel told the Village Voice. "We had asked for damages of $47,000 for the books and the computers, and we got $47,000. More important -- we would not have settled without this -- is the language in the settlement.”

Here’s the language Siegel is referring to:

Defendants acknowledge and believe it is unfortunate that, during the course of clearing Zuccotti Park on November 15, 2011, books were damaged so as to render them unusable, and additional books are unaccounted for.

Defendants further acknowledge and believe it unfortunate that certain library furnishings and equipment likewise were damaged so as to render them unusable, and other library furnishings and equipment may be unaccounted for. Plaintiffs and Defendants recognize that when a person's property is removed from the city it is important that the City exercise due care and adhere to established procedures in order to protect legal rights of the property owners.

Two other groups were awarded a payout by the city: Global Revolutions TV, a media group present at the time of the raid, has been awarded $75,000 for damaged equipment (and $49,850 in lawyer's fees ) and Times Up New York has been awarded $8,500 for destroyed bicycle generators.

“This was not just about money, it was about constitutional rights and the destruction of books,” he added.

Here’s the complete settlement:

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Featured image AP.