The Minneapolis City Council is going to make a massive change in the city’s police department. New reports claim members of the council are pushing to dismantle the same law enforcement ultimately responsible for killing black man George Floyd.
Minneapolis x Council
According to reports, a majority of the council has dished on what’s coming for the police department.
Nine of the council’s 12 members — a veto-proof majority — appeared at a rally Sunday to discuss their plans. The team publicly ripped the department for letting down its city and residents. “Our commitment is to do what’s necessary to keep every single member of our community safe and to tell the truth — that the Minneapolis police are not doing that, Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender said. “Our commitment is to end our city’s toxic relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department, to end policing as we know it, and to re-create systems of public safety that actually keep us safe.” (Courthouse News)
High-Key Details
This past weekend, rap star 50 Cent hit up Instagram to share footage of Minneapolis Mayor Frey getting booed. 50 even went as far as to predict Frey caught major emotions after the now-viral incident.
“That’s the Mayor, ?Damn they did him dirty. I know he went home and cried like a baby. ??♂️#bransoncognac#lecheminduroi“
Wait, There’s More
The footage reportedly came from this past Saturday when Mayor Frey addressed Minneapolis protesters. People unloaded with emotions after he said he would not defund the city’s police force.
In videos widely shared on social media over the weekend, the Jewish mayor was asked directly at a protest in the city on Saturday whether he would commit to defunding the department. After Frey replied that he did not support “the full abolition” of the force, protesters shouted “shame” and “Jacob, go home” as Frey retreated from the demonstration. (TTOI)
Before You Go
Despite the speculation, Mayor Frey did address his stance toward the police department. While he isn’t for abolishing cops, Frey did say he wanted to put serious effort into addressing the department’s inequality and brutality issues.
“If you’re asking whether I’m for massive structural reform to revise a structurally racist system the answer is ‘yes’. If you’re asking whether I will do everything possible to push back on the inherent inequities that are literally built into the architecture the answer is ‘yes’. If you’re asking whether I’m willing to do everything I possibly can throughout the rest of my term to make sure that the police union, the police contract, the arbitration system, and some of these policies that have resulted in problems for specifically Black and Brown people and murder over series of generations, I’m all for that. I’m not for abolishing the entire police department, I will be honest about that.” (CBS Local)