‘Minnesota Nice’ if you’re white
After the police killing of George Floyd was captured on bystanders’ cell phones, peaceful protests quickly turned into violent and chaotic riots, reducing entire city blocks to ashes. In the middle of a deadly pandemic, the city fell into a vicious daily cycle, cleanups under sunshine, and, by nightfall, violence, looting, and standoffs with armed law enforcement authorities.
PODCAST: ‘Minnesota Nice’ if you’re white
On a fateful day in late May, Minneapolis became the epicenter of a protest movement that’s swept the world since: the death of George Floyd. In this episode, we expand conversations our correspondent, Fred de Sam Lazaro, had with community members after police killed Floyd and protestors burned the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct.
Defunding Police, part one
After weeks of protests following the police killing of George Floyd, a veto-proof majority of the Minneapolis City Council has committed to “ending the Minneapolis Police Department.” Words like defund, dismantle or abolish cover walls across the city and turn into hashtags online.
Defunding Police, part two
Proponents of defunding the police, including a majority of the City Council, say Minneapolis has been here before. Several black men have been killed at the hands of police. There was talk of reform, and then nothing happened. They say it’s time for the city to start over from scratch and reimagine public safety.
PODCAST: Defunding the Police
Amid the law enforcement debate, Minneapolis has seen a spike in violent crime and a record number of complaints against the department since the city erupted in protests after Floyd’s killing. To find out what a police-free future might look like, our correspondent, Fred de Sam Lazaro, talked to city leaders like Mayor Jacob Frey and City Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison, plus community members like Tyrone Hartwell of the Minnesota Freedom Fighters and Lisa Clemons of A Mother’s Love.
CLASSROOM RESOURCES
Minneapolis, Six Months After George Floyd
An update on rebuilding, the defund police movement and public safety
Minneapolis Braces From Chauvin Trial
Downtown Minneapolis had become a fortress of barbed wire, concrete barriers and boarded windows. As Derek Chauvin’s trial approached, the city saw a dramatic increase in law enforcement, including about 2,000 National Guard troops.
April 1: Floyd’s girlfriend gives tear-filled testimony of his life on Day 4 of Chauvin trial
April 5: Chauvin’s actions were in ‘no way, shape, or form’ part of protocol, police chief says
April 8: Floyd died from lack of oxygen, not drugs, medical expert testifies
April 9: Medical examiner doubles down on original autopsy finding, labels Floyd’s death a homicide
April 13: Minnesota on edge following the police killing of Daunte Wright
April 15: Derek Chauvin refuses to testify as murder trial heads into closing arguments
April 19: Here’s what happened during closing arguments in the Derek Chauvin trial
April 20: Jubilant crowds take to the streets to celebrate guilty verdict in Chauvin trial
George Floyd Memorial Art
On plywood and sidewalks, brick walls and windows, creative expressions from this year of racial reckoning now envelop the city that sparked a movement. Here in the city of Minneapolis, there’s been an explosion of public art, featuring Floyd’s face, his last words, and on a broader theme of racial justice.
