Tag: racial injustice

Officials familiar with Lafayette Square confrontation challenge Trump administration claim of what drove aggressive expulsion of protesters

Washington Post logoDuring the nearly two weeks since authorities charged at peaceful protesters to push them from D.C. streets — about 30 minutes before President Trump walked through the area for a photo op — his aides, the attorney general and federal law enforcement officials have sought to shield the president from political fallout with a simple defense: one scene, they say, had nothing to do with the other.

The notion that the street-clearing offensive around Lafayette Square was already planned, and separate from Trump’s decision to visit a nearby church, has emerged as the administration’s central explanation for scenes of federal officers shoving protesters with shields and firing pepper balls, chemical grenades and smoke bombs at retreating crowds on June 1.

“This was not an operation to respond to that particular crowd. It was an operation to move the perimeter one block,” Attorney General William P. Barr told CBS News last week. Continue reading.

Thousands gather Sunday for prayer and protests in Washington

Washington Post logoBlack Lives Matter Plaza was turned into a church Sunday morning, with thousands of mostly African American churchgoers praying, protesting, kneeling and dancing near the White House after marching from the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

It was one of the largest faith-based events in the more than two weeks of protests that have consumed the nation’s capital since George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer in May, and it was the first big public event organized by black clergy. Organizers said that was due to extra caution in the African American community, which has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Mask Required! Safe Social Distancing Enforced,” instructed organizers from regional NAACP branches and Alexandria’s historic Alfred Street Baptist Church, which has roots back to the time of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. Marshals monitored safety. Demonstrators were spaced out in rows, and organizers frequently paused the flow of marchers to keep buffers between them. People bunched up in places, but for the most part wore masks, including many with African-style patterns. Continue reading.

Nationwide protests spark renewed local efforts to get rid of Confederate symbols

The Hill logoCities and states across the country are seeing renewed efforts to remove Confederate symbols following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died last month after a white police officer kneeled on his neck during an arrest.

A number of monuments honoring Confederate figures have been toppled by protesters or ordered for removal by local leaders in states like Alabama, Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana.

And the past week has seen a raging national debate over whether to rename military bases named for Confederate leaders and remove Confederate statues from the Capitol. Continue reading.

‘They’re cooked’: Trump team ‘terrified’ because voters are no longer buying GOP’s racist ‘hoodoo juice’

AlterNet logoIn a column for the Daily Beast, longtime political observer Michael Tomasky wrote that Donald Trump and Republicans hoping to ride their coded language and veiled racist rhetoric to victory in November are starting to realize it is no longer working on voters and they are “terrified.”

With the public in an uproar over the murder of George Floyd — among others Black Americans  — at the hands of police, the columnist suggested that we have possibly entered into a new era where one of the Republicans major talking points come election time are falling on deaf ears as voters increasingly reject racist appeals for their votes.

Noting the Republicans and the president likely “hate” the change in attitude, Tomasky points out that their future as a governing party hangs in the balance if they don’t adapt to evolving attitudes in a country that is rapidly becoming more diverse. Continue reading.

GOP struggles to confront racial issues

The Hill logoLess than five months before the election, congressional Republicans are struggling to confront a host of thorny racial issues that have been unexpectedly thrust into the 2020 campaign spotlight.

They’re still scrambling to craft a response to nationwide protests against police brutality following the May 25 killing of George Floyd, divided over whether to rename Army bases named after Confederate leaders and resistant to banning all Confederate statues from the Capitol.

The resistance to remove the Confederate statues — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) argue states should decide which figures represent them in the hallowed building — is even creating friction in the party. Continue reading.

Scant evidence of antifa shows how sweeping the protests for racial justice have become

Washington Post logoIn the two weeks that saw an uprising against racial injustice and police brutality spread from the streets of Minneapolis to cities across America, the specter of violent, left-wing militants invoked by President Trump and a chorus of conservative voices has yet to materialize.

Instead, multiracial crowds have appeared in every corner of the United States, as the president sent more than a dozen tweets blaming clashes with police on antifa, the label associated with anti-fascist protesters who infamously sparred with far-right figures after his election in 2016. He went so far as to say he would designate antifa as a “terrorist organization,” though he does not have the legal authority to apply that label to a domestic group.

The nation’s top law enforcement officials joined the president’s attacks. FBI Director Christopher A. Wray directed blame for violence tinging the protests over the killing of George Floyd at “anarchists like antifa and other agitators.” Attorney General William P. Barr claimed, but did not offer, “evidence that antifa and other similar extremist groups, as well as actors of a variety of different political persuasions, have been involved in instigating and participating in the violent activity.” Continue reading.

‘ve studied the history of Confederate memorials. Here’s what to do about them.

NOTE:  Although this article is several years old, it does provide the history of Confederate memorials. We thought it would help provide context for how those monument got there in the first place to help determine what happens to them today.

The debate over Confederate monuments has been framed by President Donald Trump — and some who share his views — as a fight between those who wish to preserve history and those who would “erase” it. But let us linger on what history we’ll be preserving as long as Confederate memorials stand.

The Confederate monuments in New Orleans; Charlottesville, Virginia; Durham, North Carolina, and elsewhere did not organically pop up like mushrooms. The installation of the 1,000-plus memorials across the US was the result of the orchestrated efforts of white Southerners and a few Northerners with clear political objectives: They tended to be erected at times when the South was fighting to resist political rights for black citizens. The preservation of these monuments has likewise reflected a clear political agenda. Continue reading “‘ve studied the history of Confederate memorials. Here’s what to do about them.”

Following George Floyd’s killing, Minn. House Public Safety Division discusses criminal justice and police accountability reforms

House DFL logoSAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today during a public hearing lasting over seven hours, the Minnesota House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Division considered a series of criminal justice and police accountability reforms. The legislation – the Minnesota Police Accountability Act of 2020 – was developed following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis Police Officer and is aimed at reimagining and reforming public safety in the state.

“While people across the planet have their eyes on Minnesota, our state must seize this opportunity to lead the way by enacting reforms to prevent people of color from losing their lives at the hands of police, the very people charged with serving and protecting our communities,” said Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL – Saint Paul), division chair and chief author of the legislation. “This was a long hearing out of necessity, both because of the number of proposals and the number of voices – from Black, people of color and Indigenous Minnesotans – who are calling on us to fundamentally shift the role of policing in our state to be more community-focused. We must ensure everyone – no matter where they live or what they might look like – can experience true public safety.”

The series of legislation – proposed by the Legislature’s People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus – is contained in three distinct packages. The Reclaiming Community Oversight Act includes the following proposals:

  • Data Practices Modifications for Peace Officers (Her)
    • Retroactive Repeal of Statutes of Limitations (Vang)
    • Warrior Training Prohibited (Richardson)
    • Choke Hold Ban (Moran)
    • Duty to Intercede (Becker-Finn)
    • Police Residency Reform (Hassan)
    • Data Collection and Regulatory Reform/etc. (Mariani)
    • Arbitration Reform (Her)
    • Law Enforcement Oversight Council Reform (Gomez)

The Reforming Accountability Act includes:

  • Use of Force Reform (Moran)
  • Prosecutorial Reform (Becker-Finn)
  • Investigatory Reform (Mariani)
  • Cash Bail (Noor)

Finally, the Re-imagining Public Safety Act:

  • Public Safety Peer Counseling Debriefing (Noor)
    • Police Officer Critical Incident Review (Kunesh-Podein)
    • Community Led Public Safety (Gomez)
    • Mental Health Training (Richardson)
    • Autism Training (Richardson)
    • Restore the Vote (Moran)

Votes on the legislation and consideration of potential amendments to the legislation will be taken up in a public hearing on Monday.

A research memo on the legislation can be accessed here. Introductory remarks from Rep. Mariani and Rep. Rena Moran (DFL – Saint Paul), chair of the POCI Caucus, can be accessed here. Video of the hearing will be available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube channel and Facebook page. Supporting documents – including bill language – can be found on the division webpage.

 

Minnesota corrections officer under investigation after outburst during George Floyd moment of silence

Corrections officer made comment during moment of silence Tuesday.

A Minnesota corrections officer is under internal investigation following an outburst during Tuesday’s statewide moment of silence for George Floyd.

Gov. Tim Walz issued a proclamation that morning to coincide with the 46-year-old’s funeral service in Houston and honor other lives cut short by “systems of racism and discrimination” in the state.

But when prison administrators cleared the air for the remembrance, a voice crackled through on their radios: Continue reading.

Sheriff Hutchinson’s Commitment to Law Enforcement that Justly Serves All Communities

To the Residents of Hennepin County:

As your elected Sheriff, I am responsible for leading over 800 employees in the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. As a full-service law enforcement agency our work includes: 911 Dispatch, Patrol, Criminal Intelligence, Investigations, Forensic Sciences Lab, Warrants, Jail, Court Security, Community Outreach and Civil Process.

Like you, I was outraged by the murder of George Floyd. His tragic death has unified people across the nation to demand change in a criminal justice system that, historically, has disproportionately impacted black, indigenous and people of color. As a law enforcement officer, I swore an oath and have dedicated my life to ensuring all those who live, work or visit Hennepin County are safe and treated with respect. I ran for Sheriff because I heard from community members across the county about their desire for change. A resounding concern I heard was the absolute right of equal treatment from law enforcement, no matter the color of your skin or your economic status. From the day I was sworn into office, I started this important work, and made many necessary changes to ensure we fulfill this right to our communities. But we need to continue our work to reform law enforcement. I am committed to working with the community to bring about this change through listening, fostering dialogue and continually and thoroughly reviewing office policies and procedures. Continue reading “Sheriff Hutchinson’s Commitment to Law Enforcement that Justly Serves All Communities”