First change: 04/28/2022 – 04:38
In a report released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights after a nearly two-year investigation, authorities found a pattern of racial discrimination among police officers for at least a decade. The starting point of the investigation was the murder of the African American George Floyd in May 2020, a case of racist violence that was particularly media-driven and triggered a historic wave of protests in the United States.
Stop and arrest more blacks than whites, use more violence against them, and perpetuate the culture of racist language.
The conclusions come after a nearly two-year state investigation into police by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which began after the killing of African-American man George Floyd in the American Spring of 2020.
The data “reveals significant racial disparities in officers’ use of force, traffic stops, searches, subpoenas and arrests,” the report said, citing the police department.
The document also alleges that they have “used covert social media to monitor Black and Black organizations unrelated to criminal activity and have nurtured an organizational culture in which some officers and supervisors use racist, misogynistic and disrespectful language.” .”
The state of Minnesota is launching an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department. On civil rights, the governor announces a move to “deconstruct systemic racism.” pic.twitter.com/GcXvLXtMNP
— Dori Toribio (@DoriToribio) June 2, 2020
Rebecca Lucero, Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed in the press conference following the release of the report that it was a general pattern: “This investigation is not about an individual or an incident”.
The solution, the institutions say, is to negotiate a state-enforceable pact to address the issues highlighted in the report, which was created with input from state officials and citizens.
reactions to the report
After the publication of the document, which reveals a pattern of discrimination in the state of Minnesota for at least a decade, the various organizations involved responded immediately.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed concern at a news conference and vowed to work with state institutions to find a solution to stop these racist behaviors and orders.
“I found the content disgusting, sometimes awful,” he told reporters. “It made me sick and outraged, and I think our community feels the same way. … I spoke to leaders in our black community this morning and they are not at all surprised. They’ve been saying it for years, decades and generations.”
For her part, interim Police Commissioner Amelia Huffman commented that what stands out from the investigation is “deeply concerning for everyone”. Huffman also wanted to point out that while the investigation was ongoing, his department was already working on major reforms.
“We are committed to providing an effective constitutional policing service, the service that people in our community want, need and deserve,” the police chief added.
Floyd’s defense also manifested
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights opened its investigation about a week after the May 25, 2020 death of African American George Floyd.
Derek Chauvin, then an officer and now convicted of murder, used his knee to pin Floyd to the ground for nine and a half minutes. This scene, recorded by mobile phones, immediately went around the world through social networks, sparking a wave of protests on five continents, especially in the North American country that was the protagonist of the event.
Image from a photo agency. Protesters and police clash during a pro-George Floyd rally in Minneapolis May 26, 2020. AP – Richard Tsong-Taatarii
After hearing the report’s significance, Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney who worked with his firm to secure a $27 million state settlement for Floyd’s family, called the document “historic” and “monumental in its importance.”
“We call on city, state and law enforcement leaders to rise to the challenge of these findings and ultimately make meaningful changes to build trust between communities of color in Minneapolis and those who have vowed to protect and serve them,” he said the legal team in a statement.
With AP information