Activists Stage Public Hearing; Deliver Statement of Reprobation Condemning City Council's Elimination of Protections

July 25, 2008

Broad Coalition of Activists Stage Public Hearing on City Council Resolution that Eliminated Protections for Protestors
Activists Deliver a Statement of Reprobation Condemning the Council’s Secretive and Undemocratic Practices

MINNEAPOLIS — A broad coalition of activists staged a rally and public hearing outside City Hall this morning to condemn a resolution that the City Council was set to pass today that takes away important protections for protestors. These protections included prohibitions against the police using rubber bullets on protestors, obscuring their identities, infiltrating activist groups and creating dossiers on activists, and denying people access to immediate medical assistance. The public hearing was held since the Council did not provide an official hearing on this resolution before it was voted on. At the conclusion of the rally, the group went into the City Council chambers. Jude Ortiz, a member of Coldsnap Legal Collective, interrupted the council meeting and read a statement of reprobation condemning the Council’s resolution, which puts people exercising their rights at risk of severe harm to their physical safety and their rights.

When Ortiz approached the podium and announced that he would like to deliver a statement, Council President Barb Johnson said he was out of order and would be removed from the chambers if he did not desist. Ignoring her threat, he began to read the statement enumerating the ways the Council had engaged in secretive and undemocratic practices to pass the resolution in an attempt to chill free speech in advance of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in September. During the speech, a group of activists delivered printed copies of the statement to the Council members.

Police officers quickly escorted Ortiz out of the building and transported him in a squad car to the Downtown police station on Hennepin Ave and 4th St. He was released without citation or arrest shortly thereafter.

At the rally leading up to the act of civil disobedience, representatives from Youth Against War and Racism, Communities United Against Police Brutality, and the National Lawyers Guild condemned the Council’s resolution and the latitude it gives the police to harass, abuse, and brutalize protestors. Michelle Gross of CUAPB pointed to the recent police attack on Darryl Robinson, the vice president of CUAPB, as an example of the wanton brutality the police are now free to engage in. Robinson was engaging in a peaceful copwatch outside a homeless shelter when he was ambushed by police officers, beaten, choked to the point of unconsciousness, and then arrested. The police officers also destroyed his camera and cell phone, which also has a camera. “They have a blank check, and they’ve cashed that check,” Gross said.

Resolution 2008R-248, the object of the protestors’ condemnation, was originally passed by the Council on June 20th, but amendments proposed by Council Member Cam Gordon were sent back to the Public Safety and Regulatory Services Committee for consideration on July 16th. At that committee meeting, the committee unanimously passed an amended resolution that strips away important protections for free speech, which means that it went to the full Council today with a recommendation to be passed.

By passing this amended resolution without public input, the City Council has demonstrated its contempt for the democratic process, its lack of concern for the safety of its constituents, and its willingness to trample their rights. At the rally this morning, the public had the opportunity to voice opposition to the Council’s outrageous resolution and undemocratic practices.

The full text of the statement of reprobation delivered to the City Council follows:

REPROBATION FOR THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS
By Residents of the City
Condemning the City Council’s passing of Resolution 2008R-248: Adopting police policies regarding public assemblies:

Whereas, the 8th Amendment to the United States constitution protects a citizen from cruel and unusual punishment and the Minneapolis City Council has decided to abdicate the protection of this right if the Minneapolis Police Department decides they would like to use rubber or plastic bullets;

Whereas, the 4th Amendment to the United States constitution protects a citizen in his person and possessions from “unreasonable” searches and seizures and the Minneapolis City Council has decided to abdicate the protection of this right if the MPD decides they would like to have a person’s camera or videotape for “evidence”;

Whereas, the 1st Amendment protects a citizen’s rights to free speech and to petition his or her government for a redress of grievances and the Minneapolis City Council has decided to abdicate the protection of this right by rolling back the protections of the 2000 Guidelines in a flagrant attempt to chill free speech in anticipation of the upcoming Republican National Convention protests;

Whereas, the Minneapolis City Council claims to “respond to inquiries, suggestions and complaints regarding City programs and services and [to] meet regularly with constituents to discuss developments affecting the ward that they represent and the City as a whole” and has passed this resolution without public hearing; and

Whereas, the Minneapolis City Council is bound by the Minnesota open-meeting law to provide the public with “access to at least one copy of any printed materials […] relating to the agenda items” of any open meeting and the Council violated this law by not providing copies of the amended resolution until after repeated requests during the PS&RS Committee meeting on July 16th, 2008.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by Outraged Residents of The City of
Minneapolis:

That we the persons whose rights have been ignored by the Minneapolis City Council have taken it upon ourselves to hold the public hearing that said Council has denied us.

That we the persons whose rights have been infringed upon by the Minneapolis City Council condemn the secretive and undemocratic practices said Council has engaged in.

That we the persons whose rights have been trampled by the Minneapolis City Council do hereby put said Council on notice that if any harm comes to any person because of the action in these chambers, said Council will be held responsible for these harms and will be hearing from our lawyers.

This public hearing/rally was organized by a broad coalition of Twin Cities-based activists who oppose the Minneapolis City Council giving the Minneapolis Police Department carte blanche to intimidate and brutalize protestors who are exercising their constitutional rights. The activists in this coalition are members of a variety of organizations that promote different causes and practice different tactics, thus attesting to the sweeping nature of the Council’s actions and the broad-based opposition to this travesty for civil rights.