Minneapolis mayor doesn’t support police force ‘abolition’

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told protesters during a Saturday demonstration in the city where George Floyd died at the hands of police that he didn’t support the “full abolition” of the police department.

Those attending the event organized by the local advocacy group Black Visions issued a plea to the mayor to defund the Minneapolis Police Department, the Star Tribune reported. The protest ended up outside Frey’s home and he came outside to address the crowd.

After saying that he’d been “coming to grips with my own responsibility,” the Democratic mayor was asked whether he would defund the police force.

“I do no support the full abolition of the police department,” Frey told the crowd, adding that he favored police reforms. He then left after being told to do so.

The march was peaceful and featured several speakers, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.

“The Minneapolis Police Department is rotten to the root and so when we dismantle it, we get rid of that cancer and we allow for something beautiful to rise,” Omar said.

The demonstration was one of many taking place across the world Saturday to protest racism and police brutality. They were sparked by the May 25 death of Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck while he was handcuffed and lying face down on the ground.

The Minneapolis City Council voted Friday to ban police officers from using chokeholds and neck restraints.