MOBB United for Social Change Demands Justice for George Floyd
UPDATE: It's been a week since the country, and the world as a whole, has been protesting to demand the arrests of ALL of the police officers involved in the George Floyd murder. Since then only ONE has been arrested.
As our nation is in the midst of an epic upheaval as a result of the public murder of George Floyd, it’s important to note that this is not the first time we’ve seen misconduct from the Minneapolis Police Department:
Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old Black man, was shot in the head and died in 2015 after a confrontation with two white officers responding to a reported assault. A county prosecutor declined to prosecute the officers and said Clark was struggling for one of the officers´ guns when he was shot.
Contrast that result with the police shooting of a white woman, Justine Rusczcyk Damond, who died in 2017 when she was shot in the stomach by a Minneapolis officer responding to her 911 call. That officer, who is Black, was convicted of manslaughter and murder and is serving a 12-year prison sentence.
And of course, there is the 2016 case of Philando Castile, in the neighboring town of St. Anthony, Minnesota, who was murdered by a police officer in his car after being pulled over for a broken taillight. His girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat, broadcast the gruesome aftermath live on Facebook. That officer was never charged.
These injustices prove that great change is needed in Minneapolis. The first step is the arrest of the remaining three officers who killed George Floyd.
Call To Action
#ProtectThem by demanding immediate action for George.
We urge you to join us in making our voices heard by contacting the following local officials with these demands:
- Demand that Attorney General Keith Ellison arrest and charge the remaining three officers involved in the murder of George Floyd immediately.
- Demand that Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and Mayor Jacob Frey continue to work against the culture of racism and police brutality by putting firm policies and practices in place to end it. These include:
- Prohibiting or banning excessive use of force tactics such as chokeholds and neck restraints in the arrest of unarmed suspects.
- Any officer involved in the death of an unarmed citizen should be arrested for excessive use of force within 72 hours of the incident.
- An independent investigation of officer-involved fatalities should be conducted by the state's Attorney General's office in conjunction with the Civilian Review board.
Leadership must take a clear stand in enforcing the rules and guidelines set forth for proper conduct within the police force to put an end to this abuse of power. We applaud the Mayor and Police Chief for actions taken and statements made to date in this case and expect to see further, ongoing action from them on this issue.
Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General
1-800-657-3787
Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis Police Chief
1-612-673-3559
Jacob Frye, Minneapolis Mayor
1-612-673-2100
M.O.B.B. United for Social Change, Inc. is a nationwide coalition of moms who are dedicated to making the world a safer place for Black boys and men by eradicating harassment, brutality and unwarranted use of deadly force by law enforcement and others against our sons. The group was born out of frustration over the deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile in Minnesota and numerous other innocent Black boys and men killed by police before and after them. It has grown into a mobilized force of moms determined to make a difference. We aim to influence both policy and perception that impact how Black boys and men are treated by law enforcement.