Mehserle Protesters Sue Oakland Police Over Arrests

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- A group of protesters are suing the Oakland Police Department over their November arrests during a demonstration over a transit police officer's fatal shooting of an unarmed passenger.

The National Lawyers Guild filed the class action lawsuit on Monday, the same day that former officer Johannes Mehserle was paroled from a Los Angeles County jail.

Oakland police arrested 150 people during last year's protest after Mehserle received a minimum two-year jail sentence for involuntary manslaughter in the death of Oscar Grant. Police cited unlawful assembly in the residential area, but no charges were ever filed against the protesters.

Attorney R. Michael Flynn says the protesters' civil rights were violated in the arrests.

Alex Katz, spokesman for the city attorney, declined comment until officials get a chance to review the lawsuit.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)