Photo via @MDVancleave/Twitter
October 8, 2021, 1:51 pm
New disturbing footage from the Minneapolis Police Department shows officers driving around in unmarked white vans and firing less-lethal rounds (that can and do still kill people) without warning or issuing orders at random people they saw on the streets, sometimes yelling “go home” after firing.
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The timestamp on the video puts it at May 30, 2020, five days after the murder of George Floyd by former cop Derek Chauvin and at the height of nationwide protests against police violence that disproportionately targets BIPOC.
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The video also shows these same officers pulling up on a small group of individuals, one of which appears to fire a gun at the van after being fired upon by the cops, though without any warning or identification, they would likely have had no idea that the unmarked white van was full of police. During such a tense time, and with white supremacists coming out of the woodwork to attack and kill any Black people they saw, the individuals around the pickup truck may have thought they were under attack and trying to defend themselves.
The following video contains scenes of police brutality:
It gets worse. After firing his weapon, the man immediately puts his gun down and gets on the ground, surrendering as though he only just realized that the people in the van were police. He gets face-down on the pavement and lays unmoving for a good deal of time when an officer runs up to him and kicks him either in the head or the shoulder. More officers mob him and continue to kick him and beat him, punching him in the back and the head, then appearing to slam his face repeatedly into the pavement.
This victim of police brutality is Jaleel K. Stallings, who was acquitted on all counts of assault and attempted murder of police officers on the basis of self-defense, with the court finding that he did indeed have no way to tell that the people shooting at him were cops.
“Once in cover, Mr. Stallings learned that the occupants of the van were law enforcement officers, and Mr. Stallings immediately surrendered,” said Stallings’ attorney.
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Unfortunately, Stallings has yet to receive justice in this case of clear police brutality. The Minneapolis Police Department has only said that they are conducting an internal investigation, but cases of cops investigating themselves very rarely result in any real action against the offending officer.
Additional footage released by Stallings’ lawyer shows officers laughing as they fire on protesters screaming that they’re unarmed and have a right to protest, shouting “gotcha” when hitting someone, and bragging about “hunting” anti-racist activists.
“Tonight it was just nice to hear ‘We’re gonna find some more people instead of chasing people around … you guys are out hunting people now, it’s just a nice change of tempo,” said police commander Bruce Folkens. “[Expletive] these people.”
At another point, Lt. Johnny Mercil can be heard making racist statements, assuming that people who were not taking certain more direct protest actions were white.
“This group probably is predominantly white because there’s not looting and fires,” he says.
These videos can be added to the pile of evidence that Minneapolis police and officers from many other departments treat Black Lives Matter and other left-wing protesters with contempt and disdain. Civilian footage posted online during these protests show cops tear gassing people standing in their own yards and shouting “light ’em up” before shooting paintballs at residents sitting on their porches.
*First Published: October 8, 2021, 1:51 pm
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