Protest cyclist files $500K claim
Police deployed tear gas after crowd reacted to arrest
A cyclist whose forceful arrest at a peaceful protest prompted a reaction that led police to fire tear gas and rubber bullets near Fiserv Forum last month is asking the city for $500,000 in damages.
Cameron Murdoch filed a detailed notice of claim that, drafted after his lawyers saw photos and video from bystanders, portrays him as an innocent bystander attacked by officers shortly after they had crashed into each other on their bicycles.
The notice of claim, a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit, was filed with the city
June 25. It alleges excessive force, unlawful arrest, failure to intervene, negligence and other claims, and says the city should be held liable for the officers’ actions.
Murdoch is represented by Drew DeVinney of Martin Law Office and Edgar Lin of Ahmad & Associates. Four days after the incident, Murdoch posted a video statement that he intended to hold police accountable.
The City Attorney’s office did not return messages inquiring about the claim. The police department continues to review officers’ use of force during the incident, which it said was prompted by cyclists circling police vehicles and prohibiting their movement.
According to the claim, Murdoch, 28, was at home June 2 watching a live stream of the march when he decided to attend. He rode his bicycle to the area of City Hall where he caught up to the demonstration. By around 7:20 p.m., the marchers had arrived at the corner of N. 6th St. and McKinley Ave., where police had gathered to block any attempt to enter the freeway.
The notice of claim includes photos taken by bystanders. DeVinney, one of Murdoch’s attorneys, said they had interviewed several witnesses and seen some publicly posted video of the events.
According to Murdoch, he and two other cyclists were standing astride their bikes on McKinley when a group of Milwaukee police officers on bikes rode quickly north on 6th Street and collided with each other.
The notice of claim says as Murdoch got off his bike and turned to clear from the area, Sgt. Joseph Zawikowski, one of the bicycle officers, approached from behind and threw him to the ground without warning.
The claim says Officer Donald Krenzien, another bike cop, then began pummeling Murdoch before putting his knee on Murdoch’s neck, a move which riled up other demonstrators who were there because George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes days earlier.
“Krenzien’s actions were objectively
unreasonable and extremely dangerous. There is no evidence that Murdoch had done anything to warrant the use of any amount of force,” the notice says.
Some protesters yelled “Get off his neck” and that Murdoch hadn’t done anything. Other officers used their bicycles to form a cordon around Murdoch, Krenzien and Zawikowski, and none intervened to stop what the notice calls excessive use of force.
Once officers handcuffed Murdoch, he was stood up, put in a van and taken to a police station. His face was bruised from the pavement. He was released around 2 a.m. with a ticket for disorderly conduct. He was later given a second ticket, for resisting or obstructing an officer.
A Milwaukee police account of the incident suggested Murdoch was “the main suspect” among cyclists circling police vehicles and preventing movement, and he was on the ground about two minutes while he resisted arrest.
Murdoch’s arrest riled up the crowd, which began jeering officers, who then deployed tear gas and rubber bullets, prompting some demonstrators to throw bottles at police, including what officers say was a Molotov cocktail that didn’t explode.