Politics
Maxine Waters urges Minnesota BLM protesters to ‘get more confrontational’ if Chauvin cleared as anti-police riots rage
MAXINE Waters has urged an anti-police Black Lives Matter mob in Minnesota to “stay on the street” if Chauvin is acquitted in the George Floyd case.
The California Democratic congresswoman also told the protesters in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, “we’ve got to get more confrontational”.
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Maxine Waters speaks to protestors at Brooklyn Center Police Department on the sixth day of protesting following the fatal police shooting of Daunte Wright[/caption]
Daunte Wright was shot dead during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis[/caption]
She was joined the seventh consecutive night of protests in a Minneapolis suburb over the death of Daunte Wright, a young Black man shot dead by a white policewoman.
The 20-year-old was killed during what should have been a routine traffic stop, sparking anger and fresh protests against police brutality and racial injustice.
Waters told reporters if ex-cop Derek Chauvin isn’t found guilty of murdering Floyd, “we’ve got to stay on the street.”.
She said: “We’ve got to get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business.”
We’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business.”
Maxine Waters
Waters said she was “hopeful” Chauvin would be convicted of murder, but if he isn’t, “we cannot go away.”
She added “We’ve got to fight for justice,” she added, saying she is pressing for a police reform bill to be passed in Congress.
But she said Republicans would likely stand in the way.
She reportedly said she plans to stay in Minnesota until Monday when closing arguments are expected in the Chauvin trial, according to New York Times reporter Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs.
Waters, a Democrat from California, was speaking to a crowd of nearly 300 people outside the Brooklyn Center Police Station.
NINTCHDBPICT000647320422-3[/caption]
Maxine Waters urged the BLM protesters to ‘stay on the street’[/caption]
A demonstrator raises his fist towards a line of police officers during a protest at the Brooklyn Center police station[/caption]
Protesters have gathered every night since the killing of Wright in a neighborhood about 10 miles north of Minneapolis.
Unlike Friday night, when police in riot gear moved to disperse what was declared an unlawful demonstration and arrested at least 100 people — including some journalists — Saturday’s gathering appeared to remain peaceful.
Protesters stood alongside the chain-link fence around the police station, chanting “Shut It Down” and waving “Black Lives Matter” flags, but did not appear to try to breach the barrier.
One protester, Joel Reeves, said.”I’m here because we are tired of police brutality.
“We are tired of seeing unarmed black men lose their lives for no reason.”
Wright was shot dead in his car after police veteran Kim Potter mistook her Taser for a gun during a traffic stop caught on bodycam.
Thirteen-year-old Adam Toledo was shot by Officer Eric Stillman with his hands raised[/caption]
Potter was arrested Wednesday on manslaughter charges and faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted.
The previous evening, journalists covering the protest said police impeded their work and used pepper spray against some members of the media who had identified themselves as such.
The alleged mistreatment came despite a temporary restraining order signed earlier on Friday by US District Judge Wilhelmina Wright.
This bans the police from arresting journalists or targeting them with flash-bang grenades, non-lethal projectiles, riot batons and chemical agents including pepper spray.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he had held a meeting Saturday with journalists and law enforcement officers.
He tweeted: “A free press is foundational to our democracy.
“I convened a meeting today with media and law enforcement to determine a better path forward to protect the journalists covering civil unrest.”
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Tensions are running especially high in Minneapolis this weekend with closing arguments expected tomorrow in the closely watched trial of Chauvin.
Clashes have included demonstrators throwing objects at police. Police arrested more than 100 people on Friday but it was unclear if any arrests were made Saturday.
Waters reportedly left the protest shortly before the curfew took effect.
But a small crowd remained defiant after the curfew began.
