Five Cincinnatians sued the city and unidentified police officers Thursday, claiming the officers violated their civil rights when they used chemical irritants and nonlethal shotgun pellets on the plaintiffs during protests last week.

        The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court.

        “The city has had a policy of condoning excessive force and illegal detentions,” said Robert Newman, lawyer for the five protesters. “Police shot innocent bystanders over and over again (with nonlethal weapons). This was condoned by the police division.”

        Although many protests turned violent and led to rioting, Mr. Newman said his clients posed no threat to police or anyone else.

        City Solicitor Faye Dupuis said Thursday she was aware of the lawsuit. “We'll investigate and make the appropriate response,” she said.

        Mr. Newman said his clients were peacefully protesting the shooting death of Timothy Thomas — who was killed by a Cincinnati police officer April 7 — when they encountered officers.

        The suit seeks unspecified damages. The plaintiffs, all residents of Cincinnati, are:

        • Courtney Simpson, 19, of the 500 block of Clark St., who said he was sitting in his car in Over-the-Rhine on April 12 when several officers on bicycles maced him, pulled him from the car, threw him to the ground and hit him with a hard object, causing a head wound.

        Mr. Simpson said he also was hit by a bean bag April 13 while leaving a store.

        • Jana Douglass, 19, of the 7000 block of Aracoma Forest Drive, who said she was walking with friends on Race Street April 14 when three officers held up shotguns and ordered the group against a wall. Guns were pointed at the group during a search, she said, and they were detained 90 minutes.

        • Tristan Everson, 19, of the 2800 block of LaFeuille, was with Ms. Douglass and claims to have been cuffed 40 minutes and held at gunpoint by Cincinnati police.

        • Peter Shriner, 19, of the 100 block of West 14th Street, a volunteer housing rehabber in Over-the-Rhine, who said he was walking on Race Street April 10 when officers came around a corner and shot bean bags into a crowd without warning. Mr. Shriner said he was hit over the left eye.

        • Mary Ann Meredith, 51, of the 900 block of McPherson, who said she was standing with others in Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine on April 10 protesting when an officer approached with a rifle. She said she asked if he was going to shoot and he leveled his rifle and shot her in the head with a so-called bean-bag slug. She said she fell and later received 20 stitches in her head.

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