We grieve with the Wright family for the tragic loss of Daunte Wright, killed by the hands of the police force who are tasked to serve and protect. There is no excuse when police execute yet another young, unarmed black man under the guise of serving the community. Daunte’s death is especially painful in the midst of a community still reeling from the fresh trauma of George Floyd’s murder, and countless others before him. The police do not have the right to execute people for any crime. We do not have capital punishment in Minnesota, much less instant executions decided and carried out by law enforcement.
Past calls for police reform have barely scratched the surface, and more often than not amount to little more than cosmetic fixes that do not address the deep, structural racism that is rooted in Minnesota history and the history of the police in our state. This failure reinforces the status quo and enables continued violence against black bodies and unabated police killings across America.
Our police departments have a track record of racial profiling, pretext stops, unreasonable force applied to BIPOC, and a lack of transparency into investigations of police misconduct. It is long past time for state legislators to pass police accountability bills, and for federal oversight into our broken criminal injustice system. The Minnesota legislature has been unable or unwilling to implement the deep reforms needed to protect the Human Rights of Black people. We are calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene to stop a pattern and practice of discrimination against Black citizens in Minnesota. We must call on our government and demand action now.
H.R.1280 - George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 has passed in the House of Representatives, but faces an uphill climb in the Senate. Tell your Senators to support this bill which includes necessary changes to policing nationwide!
This important piece of legislation includes:
lowering the criminal intent standard to convict a law enforcement officer for misconduct
limits qualified immunity as a defense
administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice in pattern-or-practice investigations
Other bills to support:
S.353 - End Police Use of Chokeholds Act of 2021, sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith from MN requires prohibition of chokeholds and carotid holds in order for states and localities to be eligible for certain grant funds
H.R.1347 and S.244 - Eric Garner Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act of 2021
We need to let our representatives know that we demand urgent action!
