Lincoln approves settlement with woman struck by rubber bullet during 2020 protests

Elise Poole says she was struck by a rubber bullet, almost losing her nose, according to court documents. She was just 19 at the time of the incident. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — On Monday, the Lincoln City Council approved a settlement with a woman who was injured during a protest in 2020.

Elise Poole says she was struck by a rubber bullet, almost losing her nose, when authorities used aggressive force to push back the protest, according to court documents. She was just 19 at the time of the incident.

In the lawsuit filed in February of 2021, Poole says she was protesting peacefully on May 31, 2020, sparked by the murder of George Floyd when “untrained law enforcement officers used excessive force.”

According to a press release from the ACLU of Nebraska, “officers used impact munitions and chemical agents on people gathered in civil disobedience of a curfew, one of the projectiles struck Poole and severed her nose from her face.”

The injury required emergency reconstructive surgery. Poole said she is still recovering.

In a statement provided by the ACLU, the 20-year-old Lincolnite said she hopes that this will impact how officers respond to future protests.

“If my case protects just one other person from going through what I experienced, it was worth it,” Poole said. “Our protest was about protecting Black lives and calling out police violence. Those messages are just as important today and I hope my case plays a small role in making our city safer for everyone.”