On Friday community members gathered to observe the National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality. They held a vigil outside of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Office in St. Paul to honor lives lost to police violence. 

Safiya Mohamed reports:

On Friday community members gathered to observe the National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality. They held a vigil outside of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Office in St. Paul to honor lives lost to police violence. 

“We’re here to say we are done dying,” said Angela Rose Myers, President of the Minneapolis Chapter of the NAACP.  “We are done being lied to by killer cops, and by the ‘bureau of coverups and amorality.’”

Myers said the BCA is responsible for the cover-ups of killings and other brutality by law enforcement. Bayle Gelle echoed this sentiment. Gelle is the father of Dolal Idd, who was shot by police in late 2020. The police then raided Gelle’s home and interrogated his family before telling them that Idd was dead. 

 

“I hope we can change this system of corruption,” Gelle said. “We feel really sad and upset about the way our system, our state is working.” 

Gelle said he hopes that public demonstrations will lead to accountability in law enforcement.

“The people in the United States - especially in Minnesota -  I think they will understand why we’re standing here, because we need to have police reform.”  

For attendees like Maya - who asked not to share her last name - the vigil served as another opportunity to address the injustices going on in the community.

“It's our duty as folks in the community to fight for intersectional issues and show that we care enough to show up,” she said.

Maya said she hoped attendees of the vigil walked away feeling reenergized and a renewed sense of hope.