Hi all, On March 12th 2010, Minneapolis City Council Members voted on Reappoint of MPD Chief Tim Dolan. 8 out of 13 Council Members voted to reappoint him while 5 opposed. Its obvious that many among those 8 council members who voted in favor of chief's reappointment did so just because they are DFLers with higher office aspirations. That is what happens when you have Single Party System which uses the police force as a tool of oppression or secret service agencies common under all totalitarian regimes. CM Cam Gordon, who represents Second Ward which includes Cedar-Riverside area, was one of the five opposing votes, as he did in public safety committee hearing. I personally think Cam deserves to be commended not just for opposing reappointment but also his commitment to make sure our city government is accountable to all the those who live in Minneapolis not just certain class, race, political cliques, or interest group. Finally, let's hope things get better in the future and those in power realize that mistreating and targeting certain segments of the society is not only illegal but also outdated. People are wising up and once tolerated old police practices aren’t acceptable in Minneapolis any more. No one can understand how police officers who consistently commit illegal and immoral acts of targeting innocent people are frequently given awards. Mustafa Adam Minneapolis, MN Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression. Malcolm X There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. Malcolm X
Hi all, Tomorrow March 12, 2010 full Minneapolis City Council Members will vote whether to reappoint whether Chief Tim Dolan another three year term. It is very important for the people in this neighbourhood and immigrant communities to contact Council Members and the Mayor R T Rybak to oppose Chief Dolan's Reappointment based on awful experiences and mistreatments in the hands of his officers. You can call 311 to talk to them or leave a message. Cam Gordon Second Ward Council Member who represents this area opposed his reappointment in the Public Safety Hearing Committee and you can read his explanation why he opposed on his blog if you click this link http://secondward.blogspot.com/ I know there are lot of people who think having good relationship with MPD is the only way to improve things and i understand that. Everyone is entitled his/her idea but that doesn't change the reality on the ground. Thanks Mustafa Adam
I wonder why they are charged for only the crimes they commit in other neighbouring counties not in Hennepin County, not by our County Attorney, Mr Freeman, who proudly supports current Minneapolis police chief and was at City Council Safety Committee hearing to endorse him. Couple of month ago, about ten of them(MPD Police) were caught on camera urinating and beating patrons in bars in my neighborhood. I haven't heard Mr Freeman has investigated even though some innocent passer byes were badly injured. No wonder this county attorney can not manage his own staff and lets them harass people on hi-ways and brag about their malfeasance on facebook. According to his website he claims "As your county attorney, my goal is to bring justice to the victims of crimes and work to protect the 1.1 million citizens of Hennepin County". I think he could add something like depending who the victims are or what part of Hennepin Conty they live in or something like that. "Truth is on the side of the oppressed." Maloclm X You can read yourself here link to Startribune. http://www.startribune.com/local/87292702.html?elr=KArks:DCiUnP::DE8c7PiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr And here is the link to FOX9 http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Mpls_Officers_Investigated_for_Off_Duty_Antics_aug_31_2009
Check International Somali Women Leaders. http://hiiraan.com/news2/2010/Mar/international_women_s_day_absurd_says_supermodel.aspx
Goigns on at the Brian Coyle Community Center: During the month of March we are having a food drive called "March Madness" in which everyone is encouraged to donate food or money to the Basic Needs Office here at the the Brian Coyler Community Center. Please donate! Any funds that are raised during this month are partially matched by the Minnesota FoodShare organization, so any donations this month are especially appreciated! EMERGE is now opening a program called "job Bank", an employment assistance program to anyone who is in need of it at the Brian Coyle Community Center during the first week of April. Additionally, during Crime Prevention Week, on April 22nd there will be a series of events that the public is welcome to attend. The day will kick off with a Resource Fair from 2 pm- 4:30 pm after the Food Drive and then : -Food will be served from 4:30-5:30 -A Panel Discussion on the Seward Shootings from 5:30 pm- 7pm -and then a Safety Walk from 7 pm- 7:30 pm
Dear West Bank E-Democracy Member, The West Bank Community Coalition Board Meeting will be help March 17th from 6:00-8:00pm in the Brian Coyles' Community Room. Also, we would like to invite to the first West Bank Community Coalition (WBCC) Land Use Committee meeting. This is the first meeting after the election of WBCC new board. Below is a draft agenda. Since, this is the first committee meeting our new chair Hussein Samatar welcomes additional agenda items. The land use committee meeting will be held at Augsburg College - Oren Gate Center room#113 Wednesday, March 10 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Please be there as we select additional or new Land Use committee for our neighborhood. WBCC Land Use Committee Meeting At Augsburg College - Oren Gateway Center Room 113 Wednesday, March 10, 2010 6:30 pm to 8:30 Draft Agenda: 6:30 Introduction 6:35 Selection Committee members 7:00 Proposed agenda items 7:10 Housing Economic Development & Infrastructure (HEDI) Updates 7:20 Proposed item#1 7:40 Proposed item#2 8:00 Proposed item#3 8:20 Next steps 8:30 Meeting adjourn
..watch it! Hello Neighbors. I am trying to bring Ana's Playground Movie which was made right here in Cedar Riverside, thanks to the Somali Elders Council. It will be played in the community. What I need are sponsors. So Far I have African Development Center. We would love to have more sponsors in the community so we could play this internationally acclaimed movie played right where it was made. Thanks to Mary L True, It was already played in Augsburg. It was beautifull. Let's play again and have more immigrants see it as Mary and director Eric and producers Jillian and Marsha suggested. We wan Somali food, Ethiopian Food, American food, Pizza, chinese food. Anyfood so people can socialize after the showing and discuss. Believe me Cedar Riverside is famous and different. Wow see it for yourself. ana'splayground.com Please invite your Bolivian, Somalian, Moroccan, Mexican, Liberian, Yemeni, Iraqi, Chilean, Salvodorian, Ethiopian, Isrealian, Palistinian, Chechnian, Russian, Pakistanian, Brazillian, Any Countrynian friends because it is a world and moral issue we should be discussing. We, millions of refugees around the world, have personnal connections to Ana's Playground than anything I know and You will understand when you watch it. We love to do an open space playing for eveybody. but if you have a better suggestion, space, projectors, Loud spkears, please do not hessitate to contact me or Mary
Hey everyone- Just a couple of resources from the ACLU regarding knowing your rights and how to go about reporting incidences like these with police, FBI etc. Please pass them around. Angel Peluso Youth program coordinator, Brian Coyle Center
I'll add a couple of things to Sophia's comments, though I think hers are pretty solid. Go through your story thoroughly with other witnesses before filing the complaint. Make sure you can think of any details and think about what questions you may be asked. Note if you have the officer's name, badge number, or if anyone was documenting (video taping) what happened. It's fair to say that the police get complaints against their officers all the time: some with merit, some not. They will ask a good number of questions about your situation and, rightfully so, you may be offended by them but it's part of the process. I think it's also wise to, if you need to go and file a complaint in person that you bring one or two people with you whom you trust. It's always good to have some support by your side in difficult situations like this but keep it to a few. Also, just to re-emphasize what Sophia said, concentrate on the people who did the wrong not the police as a whole entity. That's too much of a fight for one person to take on. I'm very sorry for what happened to you and for the pain it's caused so many. I hope there is a quick just resolution to the situation.
Hi Amina, A report should be filed because it seems that an excessive use of force was used and its not right. Using those words (an excessive use of force) to file a complaint will also be useful. Gather testimony from other witnesses at the party and your written statement (here) and add as much details as possible like "I said calmly that all I needed was my coat and keys and I would leave" or whatever other details that you can provide to show that you were not trying to be threating to the police officer. Also information like "there were 5 women at the door but no one else was talking to the officer and we were all in elegant cloths for a wedding" or whatever you can because he may have felt that he was being intimidated by a group or something and that is how he explained his actions. Its also in your favor that you called the police because it shows you were trying to work with in the law. Try to record the time line (I am sure your cellphone also has a record of when you called 911). Then go to the 2nd prescient were the incident occurred to file a written report and if the officer taking the report is not respectful ask to speak to a superior. I am not 100% sure but I think it is the responsibility of the prescient where the incident occurred or they should at least assist you in connecting with the Special K Unit. Don't make accusations about the police department as a entity (since you don't want to seem combated) but explain that you believe the officer was not properly equipped/ trained to handle this situation and you hope this incident will help prevent problems in the future. If you feel that your report is not being taken seriously contact the Mayor's Office or our City Council Member Cam Gordon. You can also bring it to the West Bank Community Coalition as the neighborhood has been building a good relationship with the 1st prescient. He can give you a ticket for refusing to leave the premise (even if you were originally invited) if you are causing a disruption but you can contest the ticket with this information -- similarly to speeding ticket etc. Misunderstanding occur (or rather fear persists) and it totally sucks but hopefully we can work together with the folks in blue so it doesn't happen again. Hope this helps. Does anyone else have more suggestions to add?
This is a very sad and traumatic story. This is a wedding place where invited guests were supposed to be treated with respect. It is very difficult to believe a very responsible and respectful young woman like Amina could be treated that way. It is even difficult to believe how a muslim woman entering a wedding reception with other guests of the same community could be treated like a drunk and troublesome person that deserve all that ugly responses. I am sorry for the horrible incident that happened to you and I hope you get an answer for this.
We all have to work together and try to understand each other. Remember what Martin L King said! Let us see if we can forget our anger and do the right thing by coming together and bring all sides together to address the issue.
That makes me so upset-sad-angry that this keeps happening to the Somali community! it's not fair -Abbi
Hi Amina, I am really sorry for the horrible episode that you experienced but remember it’s a common practice for the police when it comes to Somali community. I hope you recover well soon from the institutionalized terror you went thru last night. I am also glad that you posted it here-the only venue we can share our concerns and ideas, thanks to all those who make it possible. Every time I hear about police abuse, I think about thousands and thousands of Somalis, who are victimized by the Police on daily basis, and don't know how to challenge them or understand illegality of the police abuse. Now, what you think we can do to make sure what happened to you doesn't happen to other law abiding citizens, Somalis or non-Somalis? I have some ideas but let me know what you think. Mustafa Adam (612) 384 9358 "I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action." Malcolm X
Sorry for the long e-mail but please read 03/7/2010 Round 12:30am this morning I was at friend%e2��s wedding (for those of you that do not know Somali weddings usually start at 9pm until 3am). I was called by another friend of mine who was at the door and could not get in the wedding hall I went down the hallway to see what was going on by the door. It was me and Samira Salad and couple of other ladies. We where met by police offices at the door; I asked the police officer since my friend was close family if some of us leave if she can get in? and he said no at least 25 people have to leave before any one else can get in. I said “but she is only one person and if two or even three of us leave why can she not get in?” He said I make the rules, I told him this is abuse of power. The minute I said that he said “you have to leave the building%e2�� I said ok I will leave, I am volunteering to leave any ways but let me get my keys and coat�� he said no you have to leave know and he started pulling me, he grabbed my hands and pulled me while I was saying “I will leave just let me get my coat and keys�� he sprayed pepper spray in to my ayes and pushed me out. Since I did not have any of my belongings and my vision at that point was blur because of the spray I could not leave; therefore I stood the other side of the door. I immediately called 911 to report, while I was on the phone with 911 officer the police officer opened the door and told me he will arrest me because I refuse to leave and he hand chaffed me. He started telling me I will go to jail to downtown tonight because I refuse to leave. I told him over and over again I did not refuse to leave I was volunteering to leave and all what I need is my coat and keys with out them I can go home. He called two other officers and they took me into the back of their car and issued me a Trespass ticket. Finally Samira got my coat and keys and uncle of the bride took me to my car. I called 911 again and I asked them how I can report this incident, they asked me the address where I was and I told them it was 27th and University, the operator transfer me to Minneapolis 911 and the officer I talked to told me if I want to make compliant I should call second prescient . I called the second prescient and asked the person who answered the phone how should I go by reporting an incident before I even finish what I was saying the officer started saying are you the lady who refused to leave the building? I said how do you know that you have not heard my side? He said I do not need to do, I told him before he makes any conclusion he should listen to me and he said there is not point for him to listen to me; he also said the officer that you are talking about does not work here and if I need to file complaint I should to call Special K Unit. I could not believe this happened to me because I do not even like talking to a police officers let alone arguing with one. This was walk-up call me. Sorry for the long e-mail if any one knows what I should do about the ticket and how I should report this manner can you please e-mail me. Can I get Trespassing ticket even though I was at the building by invitation?
Watch the Movie trailer. A bihi