Minneapolis: No to a pardon! No to all of Trump’s attacks!

Minneapolis, MN – Just days before the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, rumors swirled that Trump planned to pardon former police officer Derek Chauvin on his federal conviction for violating Floyd’s civil rights. While critical of a pardon, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told reporters he was preparing for the possibility.

Instead of waiting for bad news, organizers from Twin Cities Coalition for Justice and Black Lives Matter Minnesota called an emergency protest on Monday, May 19. Nearly 100 people gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center – the building where killer cop Derek Chauvin was convicted – to say, “No to a pardon!” and “No to all of Trump’s attacks!”

The protesters view a pardon, in the same way they see Trump’s Executive Order 14288, titled in part, “Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement,” as a shameful attack on the movement that demanded accountability for George Floyd’s murder.

“Trump’s threats send a message to cops that they have even more of a license to kill. We were not silent five years ago, and we sure as hell won’t be silent now,” said Angel Smith-El, of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.

Monique Cullars-Doty, of Black Lives Matter Minnesota said, “Trump and his administration have expanded the traditional American integrated networks of oppression and capitalism, with DOGE and Project 2025.”

Cullars-Doty continued, “America has arrived at a time in history where unrestrained, coddled, wealthy, incompetent, hard-hearted, criminalized white privilege has secured the highest positions of leadership in a horror version of a Lemony Snicket-style series of unconstitutional, rule of law defying, detrimental, malicious events. The waves of such events are hitting people in America and abroad like a tsunami, destroying practically everything and anyone in their paths.”

Despite the pardon rumors, and law enforcement preparation, no presidential pardon came through this week. If Trump decides to pardon Chauvin’s federal charges, the 22-year, 6 month state of Minnesota sentence for murder and manslaughter will stand.

Minneapolis marked the five-year anniversary of Floyd’s murder, and the uprising to demand justice, with a weekend-long “Rise & Remember Festival” at George Floyd Square. The National Alliance for Racist and Political Repression organizers held demonstrations across the country for the anniversary, and there will be Minneapolis demonstration on Sunday, June 1.

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