Watch Minneapolis Protestors Banish Mayor from Demonstration After Refusing to Abolish Police
(Photo by Stephen Maturen via Getty Images)
Watch Minneapolis Protestors Boot Mayor from Demonstration After Refusing to Abolish Police
The way that crowd parted.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was sent packing from a peaceful protest on Saturday.
A video captured from the demonstration shows Frey copping to his mishandling of George Floyd's murder in front of the crowd, acknowledging the need for "deep-seated structural reforms" in the Minneapolis Police Department. But when one organizer asked Frey whether he'd support the abolition of the police department, reminding the crowd that he's up for re-election the following year, the first-term mayor couldn't support the call to drastic action. At that point, the organizer takes her microphone back, the crowd parts and its tone instantly shifts, banishing the mayor from the protest to the deafening chant of "go home, Jacob."
Frey was sworn in as mayor of Minneapolis in 2018. That year, MPD shot and killed, Thurman Blevins, a 31-year-old black man who was gunned down in an alley after a short chase. Police claimed Blevins had a gun on him, but the bodycam footage has been disputed by Blevins' family and friends. No cops were charged in the killing.
Watch protesters boot the Minneapolis mayor from a demonstration in the video below.
\u201cMinneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey showed up today at the protests. He was asked if he would commit to abolishing/defunding the police. Incredible to witness crowd hold him directly accountable. Man did a literal walk of shame.\u201d— Sana Saeed (@Sana Saeed) 1591485400
