"This is about narrative shifting": Community members show solidarity at Open Streets after recent violence
MINNEAPOLIS -- West Broadway in north Minneapolis has been the scene of several shootings in recent days. But Saturday afternoon, it hosted this month's Open Streets event.
Community members joined elected leaders in enjoying music, food, arts and more.
Mayor Jacob Frey spoke about the recent violence.
"Across the board, there's a common denominator in some of the violence that we're seeing in our city and across the nation...and that's guns," he said. "The number of guns that are coming to our city right now, both legal and illegal, by the trunk load, is absurd."
Frey says the excess of guns, modifications that make them harder to shoot and control and the inexperience in the criminals shooting them is causing more damage and death than the criminals may even intend to cause.
"When you are able to reel off 30 or 40 rounds before you reload, it's not just a concern of one or two people getting hit...which is tragic in of itself. You got a spray of bullets that's going all over the place," Frey said.
Despite the violence, community members said it was important to come out to the Open Streets event to show solidarity and support for their community.
"This is about narrative shifting, about a community that often times has the negative sides of it told about, but those that live here, like myself, know that this story is more expansive, that it is more rich, and that is ultimately what I think a thing like Open Streets does," said Adair Mosley with Pillsbury United Communities. "There are so many people who care about this place and that are willing to labor and fight to make it right and so I think that this is a strong demonstration of that possibility"
"When we activate spaces here, across the city but especially on the north side, it makes them safer right? People shouldn't have to live their day-to-day lives in fear of random violence," said Jeremiah Ellison, City council member for Ward 5. "When people continue to come out and claim their space, it makes all of us safer and so, that's what this event represents to me. It's people coming out and saying 'I'm going to spend time with my neighbors. I'm going to create a beautiful piece of art. I'm going to eat some food. I'm gonna break some bread."
The last Open Streets of the year will be Saturday, Oct. 1. It will be a celebration of autumn on Minnehaha Avenue.