[JURIST] The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) [advocacy website] Tuesday settled [settlement, PDF; press release] its lawsuit against the New York Police Department (NYPD) [official website] challenging the department's tactics for dealing with large protests. Under the settlement, the NYPD agreed to make sure protesters can get into designated demonstration areas and that any "pens" (enclosed areas) have sufficient openings such that protesters can exit, and also not to send police horses into crowds without adequate warnings.

The lawsuit [NYCLU materials] stemmed from "controversial" policing tactics employed by the NYPD during a February 15, 2003 demonstration [NYT report] against military action in Iraq, in which several named plaintiffs were injured. AP has more.