Garland: As I told George Floyd's family this morning, his death has had an irrevocable impact on the Minneapolis community, on our country, and on the world.
Garland: The Department of Justice has concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the Minneapolis Police Department, and the city of Minneapolis, engaged in a pattern of practice of conduct that violates the First and Fourth Amendments of the United States Constitution. There is also reasonable cause to believe they engaged in conduct that violated Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Safe Streets Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Garland: We found that MPD and the city of Minneapolis engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, unlawfully discriminating against black and Native American people in enforcement activities, violating the rights of people engaged in protected speech, and discriminating against people with behavioral disabilities, when responding to them in crisis.
Gupta: Most recently, our approach has lead to significant improvements in Seattle, Albuquerque, and Baltimore, including notable declines in use of force.
[crime is totally out of control in those cities]
Clarke: We reviewed MPD's nineteen police shootings, and one in-custody death, from January 1st, 2016, to August `6th of 2022. Many of these instances were unconstitutional use of deadly force.
[nineteen police shootings in six years in the incredibly violent city of Minneapolis]
Clarke: We also found that MPD violates people's First Amendment rights, retaliating with force against people engaged in protest, and engaged in demonstrations. We saw officers push and pepper spray protesters who posed no threat.
[the same city where 'protesters' burned down the police department? the use of force against these people was incredible restrained]
Mayor Frey: We are not going to stop until every single person, in every single neighborhood and zip code, feels safe interacting with the police.
[criminals generally do not ever 'feel safe' interacting with police]
At the press conference, Bildtsen [Assistant US Attorney] is taking questions from a pre-made list of approved press.
Reporter: Could any of this [police changes/consent decree] get altered if there is an administration change?
Bildtsen ignored that question entirely.
The Civil Rights Division of activists at the Department of Justice is attempting to hamstring police departments in the face of a nationwide crime spree.