The Minneapolis City Council has pledged to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and create a new institution of public safety.
“It shouldn’t have taken so much death to get us here,” Black Visions Collective Director Kandace Montgomery said.
“We’re safer without armed, unaccountable patrols supported by the state hunting black people,” Montgomery continued.
Despite the city council’s commitment to dismantling the police force, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has vocalized his disapproval. Shortly after the council’s decision was made public, Frey spoke to reporters.
"Go home Jacob! Go home!"
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was booed out of a protest after he said he did not support abolishing the police department. https://t.co/SOX1klf3nY pic.twitter.com/6JE1nqyIOj
— ABC News (@ABC) June 7, 2020
“I’ll work relentlessly with Chief Arradondo and alongside community toward deep, structural reform and addressing systemic racism in police culture,” Frey stated.
“We’re ready to dig in and enact more community-led, public safety strategies on behalf of our city. But, I do not support abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department,” Frey added.
In spite of Frey’s disapproval, it appears that the city council will get its way. With nine members voting for the movement, it has been deemed a “veto-proof majority” by the city.
Moving forward, the city will begin to create a new force of public safety within the area. There is no word on what it will look like at the moment.
