In the wake of George Floyd’s death, calls to “defund the police” have in a matter of days escalated from a fringe campaign to a…
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, calls to “defund the police” have in a matter of days escalated from a fringe campaign to a celebrity-backed cause to the municipal mainstream — and now appear primed to spur official action, to varying degrees, in cities across the country.
The stunning momentum behind the movement has fueled Republican criticism that “radical” ideas are being readily embraced by Democrats.
On the ground, however, there is a visible conflict between Democrats on board with “defund” and those who want to seek reforms without actually dismantling police departments. This split, and the sudden power that activists wield over local officials on the issue, was perhaps best illustrated over the weekend when Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey faced a crowd of protesters asking him whether he would support abolishing the city’s police department.
Frey, while promising reform to the city’s “systemically racist” policing system and saying “the police union needs to be put in its place,” was asked a “yes or no” question by a protester if he would “commit to defunding the Minneapolis Police Department.”
“We don’t want no more police,” the woman questioning him continued. “Is that clear? We don’t want people with guns toting around in our communities, shooting us down.”
“I do not support the abolition” of the police department, Frey said.
He was immediately shouted down. “Get the f— out of here,” the protester responded as others loudly booed Frey, who later reiterated his commitment to reforming the department, despite saying he would not dismantle it entirely.
The movement, like protests across the country, is driven by anger over Floyd’s death in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Despite Frey’s reluctance to go along, Minneapolis’ left-leaning City Council members on Sunday announced a veto-proof push to disband the Minneapolis police.
Supporters of the move told Fox News, “We recognize that we don’t have all the answers about what a police-free future looks like, but our community does.
