Civil rights leaders, police spar over Minneapolis protest response
MINNEAPOLIS -- Civil rights leaders appealed Thursday for Minneapolis police to exercise restraint but the head of the police union said officers should get tougher with protesters after a night of tense confrontations over the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by an officer.
The contrasting responses showed the strong emotion surrounding the incident four days after Jamar Clark, 24, was shot in the head during a confrontation with two officers. Police said he was a suspect in an assault and was interfering with paramedics trying to treat the victim.
The state agency investigating the shooting, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, is looking into witness claims that Clark was handcuffed at the time of the shooting.
Police used a chemical irritant against protesters Wednesday night outside a north Minneapolis police station where demonstrators have gathered since the shooting.
The public response Thursday included a tweet from U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, whose son Jeremiah was shown in a Star Tribune photo that also included an officer in the background pointing a gun at a crowd of protesters.
"Photo is agonizing for me to see. My son is PEACEFULLY protesting w/ hands up; officer is shouldering gun. Why?" tweeted Ellison, a Minneapolis Democrat who is black.
Police said the officer's weapon shown in the photo fired non-lethal rounds that could be used to mark law-breaking protesters with chalk. Police spokesman John Elder said the gun wasn't pointed at Jeremiah Ellison.
Chief Janee Harteau said Thursday that officers themselves had been hit with pepper spray, Molotov cocktails, bottles, rocks and bricks.
Ellison released a statement Thursday night on Facebook extending his sympathies to the Clark family and saying, "We must all be committed to establish the facts of what happened in the interest of justice."
The congressman said he agrees with protesters that video of the shooting should be made public, and urged all sides to remain peaceful.
"I call on all of us to be our best selves and move beyond anger to dialogue and problem solving," Ellison wrote.
On Wednesday, shortly after 1:30 p.m. officers from the Minneapolis 4th precinct attempted to remove protesters from the area, CBS Minnesota reported.
The situation escalated when someone threw a portion of a brick in the direction of the building, leading officers to fire what is called a "marking round" at him.
Harteau said police would pursue arrests where they had evidence, but Bob Kroll, head of the Minneapolis police union, said the department should be moving more forcefully, including removal of tents that some protesters have set up outside the 4th Precinct.
"It's chaos," Kroll said. "The officers are worn down."
He added of the protesters: "They should not have been allowed to pitch one tent, set one fire, or block the entryway for one minute."
Leaders of the NAACP appealed to Minneapolis police on Thursday to exercise restraint in dealing with protesters. Nekima Levy-Pounds, president of the local NAACP, also asked the community to protest in moderation.
The NAACP called for a candlelight vigil and march at the station starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday.