Contents:
- Federal Mediation: Latest Development
- Protest Racist Police Brutality Incident
- Federation's Phony Line on "Phony Police Brutality Reports"
- Clever Way to Deal with Police Fundraising Calls
FEDERAL MEDIATION--LATEST DEVELOPMENT
The following is a press statement from the Community Negotiating Team:
The Community Negotiating Team (CNT) is pleased to announce that the NAACP has joined the CNT by accepting the open African-American seat on the team. As an important civil rights organization, the NAACP is a great addition to the mediation effort.
Due to the resignation of one of the African-American community representatives, the CNT has been working with the community since December to fill the open seat.
The CNT has been meeting with affected communities, and actively completing our list of issues to bring to the table. In light of recent reports of significant police brutality in the community, we sincerely hope that Olson will stop stalling and come to the table.
PROTEST RACIST POLICE BRUTALITY INCIDENT
In protest of the incident last week in which an American Indian man was brutalized and urinated on by police and ongoing incidents of police brutality, there will be a march on Thursday, February 6th starting at 10:00 a.m. at Little Earth, 2501 Cedar Ave S in Minneapolis and marching to City Hall for a rally. POLICE BRUTALITY MUST END NOW! Take our demand for justice right to the door of the mayor and city council, who are ultimately responsible for the conduct of the police. This event is being organized by the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors (MUID). CUAPB supports this important event and we will have a contingent there. Join us!
THE FEDERATION'S PHONY LINE ON "PHONY BRUTALITY REPORTS"
Apparently you can threaten away incidents of police brutality. This, according to the Police Federation's head blowhard John Delmonico, who was quoted in today's Strib trying to imply that the incident involving a Native American man in the Little Earth housing complex never happened. He took it one step further, stating "I know what the cops told me, I know what evidence is there. If anyone made false reports to the police, I think they need to be held accountable." [emphasis ours]
Oh, we see. If you complain about police brutality and Internal Affairs or the Civilian Review Authority (CRA) does their usual non-investigation and finds no wrongdoing by the cops, YOU should be held accountable for making a "false" complaint. If that ain't a threat meant to keep folks from making complaints, we don't know what is.
So the people who make complaints are to be "held accountable?" This, in a town that treats cops like super-citizens and REFUSES to hold brutal police accountable for ANYTHING, no matter how egregious!
As far as we can tell, the cops already hold folks who make complaints "accountable" by harassing them and sometimes giving them a second taste of the abuse. And now Delmonico issues an open threat. Is it any wonder why only a tiny fraction of police brutality incidents are ever reported to the CRA (which barely even exists) or to Internal Affairs.
Well, let this be an open message to you, John Delmonico, and the brutal police you are constantly covering for: IT IS BRUTAL POLICE WHO WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ALONG WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND CITY OFFICIALS WHO AID AND ABET THEM AND IT WILL BE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO DO THE ACCOUNTING!
Let's start by building the biggest possible turnout for the march on February 6. We can then keep it going by working together to bring police under community control and for justice for survivors and family members of victims of police brutality. Get involved now in Communities United Against Police Brutality. We meet every Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the IATP building, 2104 Stevens Avenue in Minneapolis. Or call our hotline at 612-874-STOP to volunteer your time and talents. Now's the time to take a stand!
POLICE FUNDRAISING: ANSWERING THE CALL
We got a great email from one of our regular readers, who had this suggestion for dealing with phone solicitors who are raising money for the cops:
"It seems that it is time again for the police departments to call and ask for financial support. I received two calls yesterday. You may be interested in my response which was as follows:
'I do not have much money, but I do give $5 to several organizations which work for peace and justice. I shall give to the police organizations when police brutality stops.'
This really cuts them off and gets a message across."
You've got to LOVE this woman's spunk for dealing with the issue head-on! I'm guessing she'll end up on their no-call list pretty quickly, since they have no intention of ending police brutality.
Communities United Against Police Brutality
2104 Stevens Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Hotline 612-874-STOP (7867)