Minneapolis Mayor Gets Booed For Refusing To Commit To Defunding The Police

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Jacob Frey, the Mayor of Minneapolis, was booed by protestors this week after refusing to commit to defunding the police department in his city.

According to reports from the Star Tribune, it all went down during a rally on Saturday near Jacob Frey’s home, which is where he addressed a crowd of protesters demanding an end to police brutality and racial injustice. He told the demonstrators he was well aware of the problems throughout the Minneapolis Police Department and called for “structural reform.”

“I do have to take responsibility here. I’ve been coming to grips with my own brokenness in this situation, my own failures, my own shortcomings,” Frey said to the large crowd. “And I know there needs to be deep-seated, structural reform in terms how the department operates. The systemic racist system needs to be revamped. The police union needs to be put in its place.”

Things took a left turn, though, when one of the demonstrators asked Frey the all-important question: “Will you commit to defunding the Minneapolis Police Department?” she asked. “We don’t want people with guns toting around in our community shooting us down. It is a yes or a no. Will you defund the Minneapolis Police Department?” The woman took things even further, instructing the crowd to quiet down. “It’s important we hear this, ’cause if y’all don’t know, he’s up for re-election next year. And if he says ‘no,’ guess what the f**k we’re going to do next year?” she added.

Sadly, the mayor refused to make the commitment to move toward what so many people are protesting for–in his city and all over the country–right now.

“I do not support the full abolition at the police department,” he responded, which quickly prompted protesters to boo him and demand he leave immediately. They proceeded to chant “Go home, Jacob!” as Frey was seen leaving the demonstration.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from all these protests over the past few weeks, it’s that Minneapolis is full of real ones (not you, Jacob).