Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Sunday reiterated that he doesn’t support abolishing the city’s police force, hours after a veto-proof majority of …
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Sunday reiterated that he doesn’t support abolishing the city’s police force, hours after a veto-proof majority of members of the Minneapolis City Council said they want to take that drastic step in the wake of the in-custody death of George Floyd.
Frey, who ordered a police station to evacuate as rioters burned it to the ground last month, was shouted down by a large gathering of demonstrators near his home on Saturday when he defied their demands to shutter the city’s police forces.
« I’ll work relentlessly with Chief [Medaria] Arradondo and alongside community toward deep, structural reform and addressing systemic racism in police culture, » Frey said in a statement to KARE. « We’re ready to dig in and enact more community-led, public safety strategies on behalf of our city. But, I do not support abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department. »
Before the crowd outside his home, Frey had prefaced his comments by saying he was « coming to grips » with his « own brokenness, » and by promising to put the police union « in its place. » But, many protesters clearly were unconvinced, yelling, « It’s not about you! » and « Go home Jacob, go home! »
On Sunday, nine city council members spoke at a protest at Powderhorn Park, a neighborhood in Minneapolis.
