DFL chair calls emergency meeting after fight breaks out at Minneapolis endorsement convention
MINNEAPOLIS -- The DFL Party is apologizing after a fight broke out at the Ward 10 endorsing convention on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers arrived at the Ella Baker Center shortly after 2 p.m. to a large crowd and heard reports of people fighting, but says it did not observe any physical altercations.
A video shows the fight breaking out as Councilmember Aisha Chughtai takes the stage. The convention was immediately adjourned due to safety concerns.
In a statement released late Saturday night, the DFL said that "it is clear that the conflict was instigated by supporters of city council candidate Narsi Warsame."
Police say there were multiple reports of injuries and that one man in his 30s went to HCMC with non-life-threatening injuries. EMS treated a woman in her 40s at the scene, also for non-life-threatening injuries.
On Facebook, Warsame wrote that his campaign manager was assaulted by another campaign's staff member.
"The convention was shut down due to turmoil, and all the people were instructed to exit the building," Warsame said. "No endorsement at this point, but more questions to ask regarding the process."
In another post, he wrote that "violence and unfairness have no place in democracy."
DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin called the event extremely disheartening.
"Harassment and violence are unacceptable, and we expect candidates and their campaign teams to work hard to curb such behavior when it comes from their supporters, staffers, or volunteers," Martin said. "Warsame and his team took the opposite approach at today's convention by escalating the situation and encouraging conflict."
Martin also said he would call an emergency meeting of the State Executive Committee to address the incident and "take immediate action to remove the folks involved in Ward 10."
Martin went on to apologize to Chughtai, her supporters and her team for the incident.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also issued a statement on Twitter.
The behavior we saw at yesterday's Ward 10 convention was not okay. Physical intimidation, threats, and harassment have no place in our democracy or our politics — not at conventions, not at city council meetings.
— Jacob Frey (@Jacob_Frey) May 14, 2023
No one has been arrested in connection to the brawl. MPD is investigating.