Three lawsuits filed against police by G20 protesters have been settled out of court, says the lawyer for the individuals.

The lawsuits include one filed by Nikos Kapetaneas, the man in an infamous Toronto Star photograph that shows a police officer in a gas mask kicking him in the back.

The other cases, filed by Anna Grychtchenko and Caitlin Morgan, also stem from the same incident on June 26, 2010, when police clad in riot gear forced protesters out of Queen’s Park. All three claimed damages of $25,000.

Lawyer Davin Charney said the terms of the settlements — including the amounts awarded — are confidential. Out-of-court settlements do not admit liability on the part of police or allow for allegations to be tested in court.

Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash could not confirm the settlements but said each case is examined on its merits. “Where it’s the appropriate thing to do and the right thing to do, we will settle. Where it isn’t, we will contest.”

Const. Oliver Simpson was identified as the officer in the Star photo by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD). The watchdog concluded in a 2010 report that Simpson kicked Kapetaneas in the back after protesters ignored police demands to move from the spot.

The report states that Kapetaneas was “non-compliant, but passive,” and the force Simpson used was “disproportionate.”

Morgan claimed Simpson also kicked her hard in the side, but the report concluded she was pushed.

In the third claim, Grychtchenko said she was thrown to the ground, punched in the head and falsely arrested and detained at the Eastern Avenue Detention Centre.

Const. Matthew McCartney was found by the OIPRD to have used unnecessary force. Grychtchenko suffered a chipped tooth and “alarming” bruises to the face, jaw and thigh, the report says.

Charney said he is pleased with the settlements but would rather argue his clients’ cases in court.

“There’s a real incentive on the part of police to settle these cases,” he said. “They want everything to go away, to be swept under the rug.”

He and the three protesters will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Thursday outside Toronto Police headquarters on College Street.