Minnesota has been a hot spot for unrest over the last year. Nearly every incident has been in regards to alleged police brutality.
After a short break, the unrest has surged once more in the state specifically in Minneapolis and surrounding areas. This is after all, the region we’re George Floyd was killed.
The Star Tribune reported, “The Minnesota National Guard is standing by for deployment in Minneapolis to help quell unrest following the law enforcement killing of Winston Boogie Smith Jr. and the death of a protester by a speeding driver.
Gov. Tim Walz’s office said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that he “gave the Minnesota National Guard a warning order to start preparing to assist local law enforcement should they need help,” after receiving a request from Mayor Jacob Frey.”
Jacob Frey, has repeatedly attempted to reason with demonstrators in the past, acknowledging their aspirations and making an effort to support those who act peacefully. Frey soon found out that those protestors did not favor him.
After appearing at a Black Lives Matter rally last year, they mayor was asked if he would commit to “defunding the police”. Frey responded by asking “abolition of it?” The apparent leader of the rally replied by saying “what did I say.. we don’t want no more police! Is that clear?”
The crowd reminded Frey that he was up for election in the next year. “And if he says no guess what the f- – k we going to do next year”
They mayor made clear, that he does not support the full abolition of the police. He was promptly told to leave, and booed off by a seemingly ever expanding crowd of protestors.
Frey has now requested possible National Guard deployment despite describing the protests as “peaceful”. If this were the case, it seems apparent that support from Guardsmen would not be necessary.
The protests are in regards to the death of Winston Boogie Smith Jr. who was killed by the police after they attempted to take him into custody.
Protests began after the police refused to release video footage of the incident.