Comment Former President Donald Trump settled a lawsuit Wednesday, days ahead of trial in a lawsuit filed by protesters who claimed they were manhandled by his security personnel outside Trump Tower in New York in 2015. Details of the settlement have not been released, but jury selection for a civil trial, presided over by Bronx Judge Doris Gonzalez, was underway, according to court documents. In a brief joint statement announcing the settlement, Trump and the protesters said: “The parties agree that the plaintiffs in this action and all people have the right to participate in peaceful demonstrations on public sidewalks.” The lawsuit was filed by five New Yorkers of Mexican descent, led by Efrain Galicia, who claimed that Trump’s bodyguards engaged in a scuffle with them as they protested outside the building on September 3, 2015, over anti-Mexican comments Trump made during his presidential campaign. The case sought damages after it was alleged that Trump’s bodyguard, Keith Schiller, and others punched one of the men in the head while trying to grab a sign that read: “Make America Racist Again!” Schiller has previously said he was just trying to make room on the sidewalk and only hit the protester after the man grabbed him from behind. “The plaintiffs are proud to have settled their claims and to have received written recognition from Donald Trump of their right to protest on the public sidewalk,” their attorney, Benjamin Diktor, told The Washington Post in a statement Thursday. “Powerful men may put their names on buildings, but the sidewalk will always belong to the people,” Dictor added. Trump was a defendant in the lawsuit, being named along with the Trump Organization, his presidential campaign and several security personnel, according to court documents. In 2019, Gonzalez said Trump’s testimony was “essential” to the trial and ordered the then-president to sit for videotaped testimony. In a 2021 deposition transcript, Trump said Schiller “didn’t do anything wrong,” and when asked about details of the fight, Trump said he was “not aware of it.” Jury hears opening statements in Trump Organization criminal trial Trump’s attorney, Alina Haba, said in a statement: “Although we were willing to go to trial to show the frivolity of this case, the parties were ultimately able to reach an amicable resolution. We are very pleased with this outcome and are pleased to finally put this matter to rest once and for all.” Trump lawyers saw Clarence Thomas as key to stopping Biden election count, emails show The former president is involved in a handful of others legal cases, including government documents found at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida and allegations that he tried to interfere in Georgia’s 2020 election count. He also faces investigations related to the role he played before the Jan. 6, 2021, assault at the US Capitol. In May, the Trump Organization and the president’s inaugural committee agreed to pay $750,000 to D.C. to settle a lawsuit filed by the city alleging the organizations misused nonprofit funds to benefit the former president and his family . Separately, his namesake organization, including its payroll processing subsidiary, the Trump Payroll Corporation, is on trial in New York Supreme Court on charges of alleged scheme to defraud, conspiracy, criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. Trump and three of his grown children who have served as executives at the company have not been personally charged. The criminal trial began last week and could last up to six weeks. Shayna Jacobs in New York contributed to this report.
