Local News

Falcon Heights Officials Meet With Civil Rights Leaders, Protest Planned

July 8, 2016 / 5:05 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The mayor of Falcon Heights expressed his condolences to Philando Castile's family during an emergency city council meeting Friday afternoon.

"This incident has torn the very fabric of our small community," Mayor Peter Lindstrom said.

Councilmembers called the meeting to approve expanding funds for possible protests. Before Friday, the city administrator would have to call a meeting to spend any more than $5,000.00.

With Friday's resolution, City Administrator Sack Thongvanh can now spend up to $50,000.00 in the case of an emergency such as a protest.

They small city of 5,000 people or so will also now have a public affairs consultant because of the international interest in the shooting death of Philando Castile at the hands of police officers.

Members of Black Lives Matter's St. Paul chapter were outside the Friday meeting.

Leaders from the St. Paul group of Black Lives Matter and St. Paul NAACP briefly met with Falcon Heights mayor Peter Lindstrom to express their concerns over the St. Anthony Police department.

They are demanding the city terminate its contract with St. Anthony police, which provides policing for the small neighboring community.

Black Lives Matter-St. Paul says it is putting together a group of community leaders to discuss policing in Falcon Heights and the mayor intends to join those talks.

Black Lives Matter St. Paul organizer Rashad Turner said many members of the black community have reported feeling racially profiled along Larpenteur Avenue, in the area where Philando Castile was pulled over, shot and killed on July 6.

The group said if the city does not figure out another agency to use for officers, the protests will continue.

"We are being continuously pulled over for driving while black, and now it has taken the lives of one of our brothers," Turner said.

The group is planning a protest on Saturday but would not reveal any more details as of Friday afternoon.

Turner said he would prefer St. Paul police department take over policing for Falcon Heights even though that department along with Minneapolis police have been the subjects of several BLM protests.

Philando Castile