Contents:
- City of Crystal Refuses to Investigate Crimes Against Latino Family
CITY OF CRYSTAL REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE CRIMES AGAINST LATINO FAMILY
JOIN US TO DEMAND JUSTICE
Demonstration at Crystal City Hall
Corner of 42nd Street & Douglas Ave N, Crystal
Tuesday, October 2 at 6:00 p.m.
Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB) filed 29 complaints with Brooklyn Park, the Department of Justice, and the Minnesota POST board on behalf of people who were brutalized and had their rights violated by corrupt and racist cop Greg Burstad. Latino civil rights organization Asamblea de Derechos Civiles is partnering with us on this effort. Initially, these complaints were ignored by Brooklyn Park but we protested at the Brooklyn Park police department and Burstad was suspended. He remains suspended and under investigation as a result of our efforts.
We also filed twelve of these complaints with the City of Crystal on behalf of the Ramirez family. Three generations of this family, including infants, lived in a home in Crystal. Burstad and other cops raided the home. Nothing illegal was found and no one was ever charged. However, Burstad illegally changed the locks and blocked them out of their home for four days. Family members called to try to get back into the home to get baby clothes and other essentials but Burstad told them he would meet them on that Friday at noon to let them in. When the family arrived an hour early that day, they saw a truck driving away with all of their possessions, including furniture, clothes and jewelry but also photos and other irreplaceable heirlooms. To this day, their possessions have never been recovered.
The Ramirez family reported this felony theft to the Crystal police department. For three years they asked for progress on the investigation. Finally, the investigator admitted that he was being pressured not to investigate the case. In other words, Crystal refused to provide police services to Latino community members who were victims of a major crime in order to cover for a corrupt Brooklyn Park cop.
The complaints we filed with Crystal demand that the original investigation be conducted but also that there be an investigation into who suppressed the original investigation. We asked to meet with Crystal city manager Anne Norris. She canceled two meetings and now flat refuses to meet with the victims of this crime. The city also continues to refuse to investigate the complaints. For this reason, we plan to protest at Crystal City Hall and then go into the city council meeting to make sure the council knows what their city manager is up to.
We gave Crystal the opportunity to do the right thing but they are chosing to ignore the community's demands. Now, the community is going to step up our actions to see that our demands are heard. Stand with the community and the Ramirez family at a demo outside of Crystal City Hall and at the city council meeting. Let them know we won't let up until the Ramirez family gets justice.