Status: 03.11.2021 11:59 a.m.
After the violent death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis Police Department came under heavy criticism. In a vote, the city’s voters refused to dissolve the police department and create a new office.
Less than a year and a half after the fatal police operation against the African American George Floyd, the citizens of Minneapolis have voted against the dissolution of their police department. More than 56 percent of voters spoke out against the plan to create a new public security agency, according to the published election results.
Mayor relieved about the result of the vote
Mayor Jacob Frey, who had rejected the reform plans, was relieved by the result of the vote. “We need a profound, structural change in police work in America,” said Frey, according to the Washington Post, during an appearance in front of supporters of his Democratic Party. “At the same time, we need to make sure that police officers are working directly with the community to ensure our safety.” Frey is applying for a second term as mayor of the city. In the first ballot, he missed direct re-election with around 43 percent of the vote.
The knee was pushed back for minutes
Floyd was killed in a brutal police operation in Minneapolis in May 2020. The white policeman Derek Chauvin had the 46-year-old, who was about to be arrested on counterfeit money allegations, held his knee in the neck for around nine and a half minutes, although he repeatedly complained that he could no longer breathe.
More than 22 years in prison for police officers
Floyd’s death, recorded on a cell phone video, caused international outrage and sparked protests against racism and police violence beyond the borders of the United States. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, which in Germany roughly corresponds to manslaughter in a serious case. He was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison.
The US Department of Justice opened an investigation into Chauvin’s guilty verdict on whether there was “a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing” at the Minnesota city police department.
Since Floyd’s brutal death, the debate over how to deal with the police has divided the United States. While many Democrats advocate reforms to make police more accountable, many Republicans have criticized a campaign against the police. Democrats called for public funds to be redistributed to the police. They were faced with allegations by Republicans of trying to steal funds from the police.