Contents:
- Truth Maze Case Update
- On Again, Off Again Olson (Federal Mediation Update)
TRUTH MAZE BACK IN COURT: SUPPORT THIS LOCAL POET/ACTIVIST
After being attacked by a plainclothes cop for merely standing at a bus stop, local poet and activist Truth Maze continues to face gross misdemeanor charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for TOMORROW. Folks can stand with the Truth and force this system to drop these unfair charges by being in court with Truth Maze.
Tuesday, January 21
8:30 a.m.
Hennepin County Government Center
Go to the court information desk and ask for the courtroom of William Harris.
ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN OLSON
Federal mediation remains in limbo while Police Chief Robert Olson continues to try to preordain the outcome by controlling who sits on the team for the community.
Olson initially contacted mediator Patricia Glenn this past Friday afternoon to say that the city was set to start mediation on Tuesday, January 21st. However, about 30 minutes later, Olson apparently called Ms. Glenn back and "clarified" that he would only be there if his picks were there for the community. Once again, Olson is stalling mediation until the community bends to his will and lets him stack our team with his folks.
The reason we felt compelled to take legal action against Olson last week is that he continues to ignore the resolution passed by the City Council requiring him to start mediation with the community negotiating team WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED. Since City Hall refuses to rein in their boy, we have to use the courts to do it. [By the way, contrary to a rumor that was spread through the Minneapolis Issues email list, the case HAS NOT been thrown out by the courts. On the very day that nonsense was being posted to that list, the case was assigned a case number. It still has not been assigned to a judge. There seems to be no end to the lies some folks are willing to propagate to stop mediation from happening.]
It is clear as a bell that a certain folks downtown are vested in maintaining business as usual (or should we say "beatings as usual"?) as far as police are concerned. The mayor and certain city council members come to mind. Otherwise, they would have told their employee Olson to get off the dime and get to the mediation table. Perhaps these folks need a reminder of who pays THEIR salaries. Please take just a few minutes out of your day to call Mayor Rybak at 612-673-2100 or email him at [email protected]. Please also drop a quick note or make a call to your city council member. You can get contact info for your council member at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/
Folks know that we take complaints through our hotline (612-874-STOP) from folks who have been brutalized or otherwise mistreated by police. In this current political climate, abuse by police seems to be on the rise. While the city hall crowd fiddles, Minneapolis continues to burn. We worked together to force the city council to approve mediation. We need to continue to work together to force them to make that mediation a meaningful reality, where police policies and practices that harm our community are brought out in the open and dealt with. We can't let these games they are playing stop us--too much is at stake!
Communities United Against Police Brutality
2104 Stevens Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Hotline 612-874-STOP (7867)