Black Lives Matter St. Paul Cancels Red Bull Crashed Ice Protest
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Black Lives Matter St. Paul has canceled their planned protest at Red Bull Crashed Ice this weekend in St. Paul.
BLM spokesperson Rashad Turner made the announcement on Facebook Friday afternoon.
"After several hours of dialogue with Mayor Coleman, and other City Officials, and community leaders, we believe that our demands have been sincerely addressed by Mayor Coleman, Representative John Lesch, and other leaders throughout the City of St. Paul," Turner said.
Lesch's proposal asks for more transparency when cities are investigating possible misconduct by officers or any city personnel, along with a state audit of the grand jury process and more training for officers dealing with mental health.
"This is the first time I can think of legislation that specifically addresses Black Lives Matter demands," he said.
The group is upset over what they say is a system of inequities and injustices.
BLM has a total of seven demands, which Turner said were addressed in his meeting with city officials. The first three demands involve former St. Paul Police Officer Jeff Rothecker, who urged drivers to run over protesters in a Facebook post. He since resigned from the department.
Turner said the Ramsey County Attorney's office will reopen criminal cases involving Rothecker that led to convictions, and the department and mayor both offered public apologies for Rothecker's behavior.
BLM is also calling for the diversification of the police standards board, the end of the police department's progressive discipline policy, an audit of the grand jury process and the re-investigation of Marcus Golden's death.
Mayor Chris Coleman released a statement Friday afternoon about the protest cancellation.
"I continue to believe that the great strength of Saint Paul lies in the ability of all to work together to solve the challenges we face," Coleman said. "Through conversation and cooperation, we can address concerns raised by BLM. Saint Paul is a city where all voices are heard and all people are valued."
The group Native Lives Matter plans on protesting. They are speaking out against police response to an officer fatally shooting Philip Quinn, who was suffering from a mental health crisis.
