Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addresses the findings of a Justice Division
Minneapolis:
The police in Minneapolis, Minnesota routinely resort to violent and racist practices, the US Justice Division stated Friday in findings of a evaluate three years after George Floyd was murdered by metropolis law enforcement officials.
The Minneapolis Police Division (MPD) “makes use of extreme pressure, together with unjustified lethal pressure” and “unlawfully discriminates in opposition to Black and Native American individuals when imposing the legislation,” the division concluded.
The report detailed a number of instances of Minneapolis police taking pictures unarmed and unthreatening individuals, each earlier than and after Floyd’s Could 25, 2020 dying.
The instances included killing a girl who had known as the 911 emergency quantity to report a doable sexual assault, and a person already in custody who was stabbing himself.
The report additionally cited frequent instances of police utilizing extreme pressure, usually with deadly penalties.
Floyd was killed after police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee to the Black man’s neck for practically 10 minutes whereas three different officers seemed on.
He had been detained on a minor cost, for allegedly utilizing a counterfeit $20 invoice.
His dying set off nationwide protests over police abuse and discrimination in opposition to African Individuals, elevating the strain on police departments across the nation.
Based mostly on the report, US Lawyer Common Merrick Garland introduced that Minneapolis had agreed in precept to just accept a program of robust oversight from the Justice Division that may pressure reforms.
Garland stated the research confirmed a sample of Minneapolis police violating a number of constitutional rights of individuals locally, and that Floyd’s dying introduced this to broader consideration.
Floyd’s dying “has had an irrevocable influence on the Minneapolis neighborhood and our nation and around the globe,” Garland stated in a press convention.
“This loss remains to be felt deeply by those that beloved and knew him and by many who didn’t,” he stated.
Floyd’s case turned infamous after a bystander filmed his detention and dying, with Floyd audibly telling Chauvin “I am unable to breathe” earlier than he misplaced consciousness.
Garland stated that the investigation discovered “quite a few incidents” during which Minneapolis law enforcement officials responded to detained individuals saying they might not breathe with feedback like, “You may breathe, you are speaking now.”
He additionally stated that Minneapolis police commonly declined to intervene when colleagues have been utilizing extreme pressure, regardless of being required to take action.
“Years earlier than he killed George Floyd, Derek Chauvin used extreme pressure on different events during which a number of MPD officers stood by and didn’t cease him.”
He stated information confirmed the police within the metropolis routinely stopped, searched and used pressure in opposition to minorities at a far greater charge than in opposition to white individuals.
Minneapolis police “stopped Black and Native American individuals practically six occasions extra usually than white individuals in conditions that didn’t lead to arrest or quotation, given their shares of the inhabitants,” he stated.
“Such conduct is deeply disturbing, and it erodes the neighborhood’s belief in legislation enforcement,” he stated.
Garland stated the research additional discovered that Minneapolis police commonly violated the rights of peaceable protesters and journalists protecting protests, particularly people who adopted Floyd’s dying.
He acknowledged that police work is troublesome, harmful and important.
“So that you can succeed, your police division should give you clear insurance policies and constant coaching that designate and reinforce constitutional boundaries and duties,” Garland stated.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
