PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to approve a $6 million settlement in a civil lawsuit brought by individuals who were criminally charged after protesting in downtown Phoenix.

A large group of plaintiffs sued the county and the city of Phoenix, claiming they were wrongly accused of being members of a fictitious street gang.

After holding a closed meeting Dec. 9 to discuss the lawsuit, county supervisors approved a settlement of the lawsuit filed against former Maricopa County Attorney Alistair Adell and several others.

The lawsuit stems from the mass protests that began in downtown Phoenix in the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. After further demonstrations in October 2020, the plaintiffs were arrested by police and charged with belonging to an anti-police street gang.

The lawsuit accuses law enforcement officials of fabricating evidence to obtain charges against the plaintiffs.

By summer 2021, the county attorney’s office had dismissed charges against the protesters. Adele resigned after less than a year.

An independent report ordered by the city confirmed that Phoenix police did not have “credible evidence” to charge the protesters.

The controversy was considered one of the reasons the U.S. Department of Justice launched a multiyear investigation into the Phoenix Police Department. ultimately a federal agency The police department concluded “Violates the rights of people to engage in protected speech and expression.”

Attorneys for the plaintiffs declined to comment on the county’s settlement.

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