Police Brutality Protests Thread

[Jolene Benoir]

I just want to bring home the point of old vs new suburb. When I was young there wasn't much in Maple Grove. On our way into town/Mpls from Elk River which was country in those days we would pass Maple Grove. There were still farms in those days. There was nothing there at all. It was a place you passed on your way elsewhere, and thought, "well, there is nothing interesting to look at here." As white flight grew further and further out it became just another suburban wasteland lacking charm, but there was definitive desire by those who moved there to keep black folks out.

They recreated their idyllic versions of small towns that were simultaneously dying by the dozen, but couldn't be bothered to help out. Those town centers like Maple Grove's are skin-deep. There can be no foot traffic as it's all geared entirely toward vehicle traffic. Good luck being someone without a car out there, assuming you could even afford the rent at their high-priced buildings that they were forced to do by the state. When racists cannot openly admit they don't want black or brown folks, they use economics to simply price them out. The transit system is much the same. Poor folks relying upon it to get to work? Not gonna happen. The means with which such communities are kept white is across the board, all public systems and organizations. They actively fight anything that even has a whiff of allowing anyone else in.

Old suburbs were already built with high density apt complexes as they were largely built in the 50's/60's. Even Elk River, once country became an enclave of the wealthy as they priced out older residents via property taxes. It's now legitimately considered an exurb. It's white flight continuing and ALWAYS forcing its desires upon the area. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Just as an aside, Brooklyn Center is closest to N. Mpls, then followed by Brooklyn Park, which if anything is even worse off than Brooklyn Center. Maple Grove is within just a few miles by car via I-694, but worlds apart.

If I had to compare it to another major metropolitan area it would be Chicago or Detroit; decaying metropolitan areas.

There are old posts of me and Nolan discussing Brooklyn Center as he grew up there and Maple Grove. Those are all over on the old SLU.

 

[Free]

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Your tax dollars at work.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

Yep, they have been crazy-heavy handed, even knocking down reporters on the ground, demanding and videotaping their credentials, or forcing them to leave at gunpoint. The larger community seems to accept these tactics because of the fear of last year repeating itself. They were already ready because of the Chauvin trial.

Meanwhile, civil rights violations are readily apparent. The militarization of America continues.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Tom is trash but he’s not dumb. He can also sling a zinger.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

Tom is trash but he’s not dumb. He can also sling a zinger.

So, basically if those folks ever get down on their luck and need ANY kind of help they're fucked and can expect an existence either living with family/friends or being homeless. The taking away of student loans or grants is particularly nasty in that it denies all future opportunities. That doesn't sound all that different than China's point system. Not surprised it came from a Mound legislator. That definition of "illegal conduct at a protest, demonstration, rally, civil unrest or march" is quite open to interpretation by the police. The same police who decide that you are resisting arrest after you flinch if they punch you?

Does it include getting arrested for violating curfew? Curfew that was called so THAT you could be arrested? The last two nights I have received phone alerts letting me know that curfew was being instated in Brooklyn Center. Those both came at 10pm, with an 11pm curfew. Normally, you know much earlier in the day, but the last two nights, they've done them with lesser warning. Curfews are done as a reason to round people up, regardless of their conduct.

The bill, authored by Sen. David Osmek (R- Mound), states that “A person convicted of a criminal offense related to the person’s illegal conduct at a protest, demonstration, rally, civil unrest, or march is ineligible for any type of state loan, grant, or assistance, including but not limited to college student loans and grants …”

Other forms of state financial aid, including food stamps, rent assistance and unemployment benefits, are also in the bill.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

Another police shooting; carjacker who shot out back windows at cops, bailed vehicle, pointed gun at another vehicle intending to carjack it, no doubt. Police shoot. I don't think anyone is questioning this shooting. Closing arguments in Chauvin trial happening right now.

 

[Free]

Yeah, here's the thing: Authorities who have been intimidating and abusing the public at large for months/years who suddenly start treating the press the same way haven't just started becoming a problem because of the latter.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

Yeah, here's the thing: Authorities who have been intimidating and abusing the public at large for months/years who suddenly start treating the press the same way haven't just started becoming a problem because of the latter.

In this order, it just shows the growing levels of fascism.

Also, think what she meant is, then white middle class people are next...

Minorities > reporters > 'public'

 

[Free]

Also, think what she meant is, then white middle class people are next...

I don't really care what she "meant." Mara happens to be black so if she really did mean "white middle class people are next" it's probably based on a sheltered existence provided by working for the NYT editorial board, etc. I don't think that's the case, though, and figure it's more an issue of "the press" being accustomed to the special treatment police and other forces of authority previously made grudging allowance for.

Now that the press are seen in much the same light as the "rioters," due to providing FAKE NEWS and instigating further unrest by reporting what's happening, it puts them in a position they're not used to being in. And (surprise!) they don't like it.

 

[Caete]

Yeah, here's the thing: Authorities who have been intimidating and abusing the public at large for months/years who suddenly start treating the press the same way haven't just started becoming a problem because of the latter.

It has been happening to the press for years as well unless you were mainstream media. Their protected status is gone now as they start to show the way things have been for years under their watch.

Just to put this thought out there:

Recall Escape from New York/LA? A National Police Force under the control of the federal government. NY showed us the militarization of the police whil LA showed us how it was being used to purge those who didn't subscribe to whatever was the current tyrannical order of the president.

There's already people out there that think a national police force is the solution as obviously local police have no idea what is going on in their own communities. Of course the federal government would blanket policy the fuck out of this. It'd all become impersonal, you're just a number, no field choices of hey you were honest with me just have a warning but instead guilty, 5 years Judge Dredd crap.

I can see this quickly moving towards a national force which is not where we want to head. As Obama once said “We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” which at the time I took to mean a national police force with military equipment. Many echoed the thoughts of Rep. Paul Broun "It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he’s [Obama’s] the one who proposed this national security force. … That’s exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it’s exactly what the Soviet Union did."

Biden has a bro-boner for Obama and I can see him trying to implement this as the solution of the special committee he picks to say to do it. We do not need brown shirts, no kristallnacht, no purges of people who do not agree with the government.

 

[Romana]

It has been happening to the press for years as well unless you were mainstream media. Their protected status is gone now as they start to show the way things have been for years under their watch.

Just to put this thought out there:

Recall Escape from New York/LA? A National Police Force under the control of the federal government. NY showed us the militarization of the police whil LA showed us how it was being used to purge those who didn't subscribe to whatever was the current tyrannical order of the president.

There's already people out there that think a national police force is the solution as obviously local police have no idea what is going on in their own communities. Of course the federal government would blanket policy the fuck out of this. It'd all become impersonal, you're just a number, no field choices of hey you were honest with me just have a warning but instead guilty, 5 years Judge Dredd crap.

I can see this quickly moving towards a national force which is not where we want to head. As Obama once said “We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” which at the time I took to mean a national police force with military equipment. Many echoed the thoughts of Rep. Paul Broun "It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he’s [Obama’s] the one who proposed this national security force. … That’s exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it’s exactly what the Soviet Union did."

Biden has a bro-boner for Obama and I can see him trying to implement this as the solution of the special committee he picks to say to do it. We do not need brown shirts, no kristallnacht, no purges of people who do not agree with the government.

Tea Party Republican Broun says what? They're not exactly the ones who should be invoking Godwin ''s Law. After all, if Hair Furor had thought of it, the idea would have been super extra primo good, and Hitler would have never been mentioned.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

State troopers coming in now from Ohio and Nebraska. Just what we need, more of a police presence

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

There's already people out there that think a national police force is the solution as obviously local police have no idea what is going on in their own communities.

I think at least a state level police structure instead of having every amateur local chief in every small toun and municipality microfocussing on how they can extract maximum graft from their communities would be a massive improvement. The idea of every Dogpatch and incorporated enclave having its own Keystone Kops just seems massively weird to this Australian.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

I think at least a state level police structure instead of having every amateur local chief in every small toun and municipality microfocussing on how they can extract maximum graft from their communities would be a massive improvement. The idea of every Dogpatch and incorporated enclave having its own Keystone Kops just seems massively weird to this Australian.

I disagree, but then, I live in a state run by fascists, where they are trying to make unions and peaceful protest illegal, so... there is that.

Meanwhile, the push here in my town is for more police transparency and working with the communities around here.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Thanks to gerrymandering, I live in a moderately liberal city with a state government controlled by Trumpists. Our police are bad enough as it is.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

I disagree, but then, I live in a state run by fascists, where they are trying to make unions and peaceful protest illegal, so... there is that.

Meanwhile, the push here in my town is for more police transparency and working with the communities around here.

I live in Texas, and bad as the state government is, in most of the state the local government is worse. In Houston it tends to be less bad, but even good old boys tell you to stay clear of the cops in the small towns. Even if they're cool with them being fascists, the corruption is too much.

 

[Free]

Well. Yeah.

 

[Rose Karuna]

The senior officer who ordered police to surround and block a church should be fired. Immediately fired.

 

[Soen Eber]

DOJ launches inquiry into Minneapolis police operations

"Yesterday's verdict does not address potentially systemic police issues in Minneapolis," Garland said, describing a far-reaching investigation that will examine officers' use of excessive force, discriminatory actions involving those with mental health problems, department training policies and supervision.

About f*cking time

...and this, from the "less divisive" head of the Minneapolis police union after Knoll resigned. *sigh*

There are no winners in this case and we respect the jury's decision. We need the political pandering to stop and the race baiting of elected officials to stop. In addition, we need to stop the divisive comments and we all need to do better to create a Minneapolis we all love.

The MPD, and their union, has been the biggest provider of injustice in the city of Minneapolis for decades, I've known that since I was a kid riding bicycles and now I'm close to collecting social security. Bob Knoll (an avowed white nationalist) and Derik Chauvin and the people that let them rampage around the city deserve to DIAF.