Trump, company settle with protesters who allege they were assaulted by security

Former President Trump reached a settlement on Wednesday with several protesters who accused his security team of assaulting them outside Trump Tower in 2015.

Just days after jury selection got underway, Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba and the four protesters signed a joint statement agreeing to settle the case. The statement noted that both parties agree that all people “have a right to engage in a peaceful protest on public sidewalks.”

The group of protesters were demonstrating outside of Trump Tower in September 2015 over then-presidential candidate Trump’s derogatory comments about Mexican immigrants when they claim they were assaulted by Trump’s security team.

One protester, Efrain Galicia, accused Trump’s former head of security Keith Schiller of hitting him in the head as Schiller tried to take away a cardboard sign. Galicia and several other protesters sued Trump, his campaign, his company, Schiller and other security guards over the incident.

The protesters’ attorney Benjamin Dictor said in statement on Wednesday that his clients were “proud” to have settled the case and received “written recognition” from Trump of their right to protest on the sidewalk. 

“Powerful men may put their names on buildings, but the sidewalk will always belong to the people,” Dictor said.

Habba, Trump’s lawyer, said in a statement that they were “happy to finally put this matter to rest once and for all” with Wednesday’s settlement.