The Chicago City Council has approved a $280,000 settlement for Miracle Boyd, an activist who a police officer injured during a 2020 protest over the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park.
The settlement, passed on Wednesday in a 34-15 vote, compensates Boyd for the injuries she sustained when an officer struck her phone out of her hand, causing it to hit her face and knock out a tooth.
Boyd, who was 18 at the time and a member of the youth-led organization Good Kids Mad City, had been livestreaming the protest when she witnessed officers striking a woman with a baton. As she filmed the arrest, an officer forcefully knocked her phone away, resulting in the facial injury. The violent encounter was caught on video and widely circulated online, sparking outrage and renewed calls for police accountability.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) later found that the officer involved had used excessive force and provided false statements in his official report.
COPA recommended his termination, but he resigned before any disciplinary action could be taken.
During a City Council meeting, Boyd testified about the lasting impact of the attack.
“To this day, I remember it like it was yesterday. For some reason, I can’t get over the harm that was caused to me,” she stated.
The settlement had faced some opposition in the Finance Committee, where it passed with a 22-7 vote. Some council members argued against awarding damages, with Alderman Nick Sposato (38th Ward) claiming that protesters were intent on “wreaking havoc” and tearing down the Columbus statue.
However, others, including Alderman Emma Mitts (37th Ward), supported the settlement, acknowledging the injury Boyd suffered.
“It wasn’t her fault. The phone got knocked out and ended up knocking out her teeth. That was an error. She had to have medical [treatment] and surely, she had to be treated for that,” Mitts said.
Alderman Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) emphasized that the financial settlement could not undo the damage Boyd endured.
“Two-hundred-and-eighty-thousand dollars ain’t enough to fix what was broken that day. It’s just, it’s not,” she stated.
Boyd’s case is one of several stemming from protests in 2020 that led to lawsuits against the city for police misconduct. While the settlement provides compensation for her injuries, Boyd and her supporters continue to advocate for greater police accountability and reform.
