Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/tag/police-brutality/page/4/)
I’d seen a lot of references to the disappointing 1999 decision of the Minnesota Supreme Court in upholding the legal right of the Mall of America to exclude demonstrators.
Two years ago, I attended one of the most amazing acts of public expression I think I’ve ever experienced. It was at the Mall of America- a Round Dance held in the rotunda where I witnessed over a thousand people, mostly Native American, sing and dance in a circle as drums played. Not a protest, exactly, it was really more of a healing prayer and a call to action, precipitated by the Idle No More Movement, which got started in Canada over tribal sovereignty issues.Related article: Thousands protest at Mall of America, spark mall shut-down; 12 arrestedI’m not exactly why the 2012 roundy was allowed to occur by MOA security without a hitch when in the following year, a similar action was nipped in the bud. Last year, I reported for The Uptake how Idle No More organizers received letters not to attend a planned action, and were arrested upon arrival. The protest did not take place.It’s possible the 2012 round dance was given prior permission while the 2013 one didn’t. Continue Reading
A Black Lives Matter protest planned for Dec. 20 at the Mall of America hit a snag this week when Mall of America officials threatened to remove any protesters and potentially have them arrested. The protest is part of a national movement aimed at raising awareness about police violence against people of color.Related stories: [PHOTOS] #BlackLivesMatter momentum continues, protesters march on downtown Minneapolis[PHOTOS] #BlackLivesMatter protesters halt 35W traffic: “We’re ready for change”A letter, signed by Mall of America Management, was sent by courier to the homes of several of the organizers, saying that advocates were allowed to protest on the Alpha Business Center Lot, adjacent to the mall, but that any protesters inside of the mall would be subject to removal, as the Mall of America is private property.Black Lives Matter organizer Michael McDowell said the letter was delivered to his house by courier on Dec. 12, though he didn’t receive it until Dec. 13. Continue Reading
In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., filmmaker Mark Wojahn wanted to bring more attention to racial profiling and police brutality on a local level so he teamed up with rapper Muja Messiah to direct a video for Messiah’s song “It Goes Down,” off his new album, “God Kissed It, the Devil Missed It.”
These are interesting times.
For nearly 25 years, I’ve been trying to get people to pay attention to and act on the very serious issue of police brutality, 14 of those years as part of Communities United Against Police Brutality. Mostly it’s been an uphill battle. White folks largely have responded with disbelief and the idea that the victims “must have done something to deserve it.” People of color have been much more aware of the issue but often resigned to the idea that little could be done to effectively take it on.
I was talking to Jose at work the other day about the recent deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the lack of indictments on the police officers who killed them. We both are appalled how it went down. While I’ve experience abuse of power at the hands of the police just a few times, Jose has had many negative, unprovoked, experiences in which the prejudice of the officer was the cause for the encounter and the tone of the exchange. As we talked I tried to make the point that while the officers are responsible for their actions the blame also is also on our culture and the police system that trained them. In part, they only did what they were raised to believe and trained to do. Continue Reading
Over a thousand artists and activists gathered in downtown Minneapolis on Dec. 13 to rally and march in solidarity with the national #BlackLivesMatter movement that aims to highlight the lack of equality and accountability in police dealings with the black community in the United States.The march, organized by a group called the Million Artist Movement, began with a rally at the Hennepin County Government Center, where artists, activists and other leaders from the black community spoke to the crowd about taking action by approaching their elected officials to demand change. The crowd also performed a die-in, lying down in honor of fallen black Americans at the hands of police, and by reading off names of black individuals whose lives were taken by police officers.The march headed west down 6th from the Government Center to Nicollet Mall.Recently, activists pressured the Minneapolis City Council to reverse their vote on a city budget that would cut racial equity programs by about $150,000. Protesters also shut down I-35W two weeks ago for a few hours, garnering national attention.Local activists also plan to hold another rally at the Mall of America on Dec. 20.Coverage of issues and events that affect Central Corridor neighborhoods and communities is funded in part by a grant from Central Corridor Funders Collaborative. Continue Reading
The conversation about racial injustice is heated these days and it’s tragic that it has taken the deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, among others, to bring this conversation to the national level it deserves. Continue Reading
On November 24th, a grand jury in St. Louis County, Missouri announced that they would not indict the white police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black man. Less than a week later, a grand jury in New York decided not to indict a white police officer who killed an unarmed black man named Eric Garner with an illegal chokehold, in front of witnesses and video cameras. Protests and actions have ensued.TC Jewfolk asked me if I’d like to write something about how we should feel and react as Jews. Continue Reading
Minneapolis Southwest High School student Laye Kwamina reads his poem “Letter To My Unborn Black Child” at the Human Rights Day Rally on December 6, 2014. His poem, laden with references to violence against blacks such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, held the crowd spellbound. In it, he contrasted the stark realities of life for blacks in America with the unending love parents have for their children. He read, “Dear unborn black child, Don’t jaywalk. Don’t eat sandwiches. Continue Reading