Minneapolis has spent $63,000 on private security for three council members who want to abolish the city’s police department.
Council Member Phillipe Cunningham confirmed the report in a statement released on Twitter Friday night.
“I will confirm I have received numerous death threats since I was campaigning for either being transgender or outspoken about police accountability and systems change. I do not feel comfortable saying more about that. Security was offered to me by the city, and I accepted because I need to keep my family safe from the very real threats against me,” said Cunningham.
https://twitter.com/CunninghamMPLS/status/1276716894557437952
Cunningham noted that Mayor Jacob Frey receives a security detail 365 days a year, which is paid for out of “the same pool of money” covering Cunningham’s security.
“I believe any reasonable person would have accepted help like I did. It’s unfortunate my family’s safety has been exploited for a news talking point,” Cunningham continued. “I will also add that [the Minneapolis Police Department] claimed to have not known about the threats or reports, which is incorrect.”
A city spokesperson confirmed with FOX 9 that Council Members Cunningham, Andrea Jenkins, and Alondra Cano are receiving the protection of a private security detail. According to the report, the city is spending $4,500 a day on the security for a total of $63,000 in expenses over the past three weeks.
“My concern is the large number of white nationalist(s) in our city and other threatening communications I’ve been receiving,” Jenkins told the outlet in an email.
The report was released the same day the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a proposal to change the city charter. The change to the charter will allow for the dismantling of the police department, which would be replaced with a Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention. If the process is successful, the change ultimately will be placed on the November ballot for voters to decide on.
Earlier this month, nine members of the council committed themselves to “ending” the Minneapolis Police Department and “creating a new transformative model.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Phillipe Cunnigham (Left)” by Phillipe Cunningham. Photo “Alondra Cano (Middle)” by Alondra Cano. Photo “Andrea Jenkins (Right)” by Andrea Jenkins. Background Photo “Minneapolis City Council Meeting” by Tony Webster. CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Oh, Abraham would raise his hands
And mourn this very day
For his children left the promise land
In search of their own way
And they kick and scream like wayward sons
And always wanting to sleep
And dream away these evil days
In hopes that God can’t see
Hypocrites.
This is what criminals do, they take from others what they have and keep for themselves.
These people or things are trash. What freaks. Metro Nashville has very similar common trash on our council. How does this trash get elected.
!
All that is required for evil to prevail is that good people do nothing. Want good people i office? Run.
Oooooh! It goes to the voters in November.
That means the fight isn’t over, and the “good people of Minneapolis” have the ability to tell the council where to stick their “Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention”.
I hope cooler heads, and common sense, prevail, but after seeing what happened with the “Community Oversight Board” in Nashville, I’m not so sure…
Hypocrisy at it’s best. Protection for me but not for you. You can’t make this stuff up.
I agree bet if people called and asked for security .they would be told Sorry