“We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department,” says Lisa Bender, the president of the Minneapolis City Council.
A man named George Floyd died in Minneapolis Police custody on May 25, triggering a wave of national protest and civil unrest. Prompted by Floyd’s untimely passing, a member of the Council said that the legislative body was “working on finding out” if disbanding the police was a possibility, days ago. It now appears that what began as an inquiry has become a reality per Bender and another council member, Jeremiah Ellison, via Twitter, Thursday.
Yes. We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety. https://t.co/FCfjoPy64k
— Lisa Bender (@lisabendermpls) June 4, 2020
Jeremiah Ellison, the son of Minnesota Attorney general Keith Ellison, has also confirmed the plan the abolish the police. “We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department,” he says. “And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together. We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response,” he added.
The radical changes Ellison alluded to may include disarming whatever entity replaces the Police Department. Councilman Steve Fletcher appeared to suggest that a “public safety” force designed to replace the police would not carry guns in his statement on the matter, Tuesday.
Our city needs a public safety capacity that doesn’t fear our residents. That doesn’t need a gun at a community meeting. That considers itself part of our community. That doesn’t resort quickly to pepper spray when people are understandably angry. That doesn’t murder black men.
— Steve Fletcher – Minneapolis Ward 3 (@MplsWard3) June 2, 2020
Ellison also recently declared his allegiance to ANTIFA, May 31, after President Donald Trump announced that the far left group will be designated as a terror organization.
I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA
Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned businesses in my ward, I’ll keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist THE ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US! https://t.co/m6jxtDYmTi
— Jeremiah Ellison (@jeremiah4north) May 31, 2020
The Minneapolis City Council is generally understood to have a strong leftward bent. Two of its members, Phillipe Cunningham and Andrea Jenkins are transgender.
Rioting in Minneapolis has claimed claimed the lives of at least two individuals and destroyed over 300 businesses, per the Star Tribune.
The Council has also set a meeting to vote on “a court order stipulating immediate changes for MPD and a framework for systemic change,” per a media advisory reported by Fox 9.
Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
