Name: Minneapolis prepares for unrest during Chauvin trial
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Minneapolis prepares for unrest during Chauvin trial

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he city government and local businesses are bracing for a new wave of violence as the officer accused of faces a jury next week.From now until the end of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's trial, swaths of the city's downtown will be closed to traffic and strictly limited for pedestrians.Businesses have begun boarding up windows in hopes of limiting further damage following last summer's riots."You might want to consider adding physical barriers, such as boarding or permanent security gates," Minneapolis Economic Policy and Development Director Erik Hansen suggested to local business owners at a recent .The police promise a more proactive effort to quell social unrest this time around, pledging more officers to assist in arresting lawbreakers. Last week, the city council approved upward of $1.5 million for new security measures in an effort to minimize damage to both public and private property during Chauvin's trial."Our hope is that the number of days we need these officers will be very short, that it will be a trial where there is peaceful expression of First Amendment rights and not destruction or other types of illegal activities that would require these officers to be around for numerous days," City Coordinator in a city council meeting last week.At the same time, the city will also employ social media influences to spread "city-generated and approved messages" towards local minority communities. The effort hopes to "increase access to information to communities that do not typically follow mainstream news sources or City communications channels and/or who do not consume information in English," . "It's also an opportunity to create more two-way communication between the City and communities."Some of the most dramatic changes to the city's landscape take place at the courthouse and city hall, with fencing and barricades surrounding the two buildings. One local law-enforcement source said the city should expect "" in the city during Chauvin's trial."We want to make sure that it's understood in the community that what we are working to do is preserve safety for those involved in the trial to ensure that the trial can proceed without any hindrance or disruption,” Greene told a local affiliate last week.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey requested earlier this month that the governor mobilize the national guard to maintain peace during the trial, which is expected to cost the state tens of millions of dollars.Local activists have criticized the decision, alleging that their presence will only exacerbate tensions and potentially cause more violence."It is past time for a safe Minneapolis. To get there, we need stable housing, inclusive mental health care, accessible food, and livable wages. In order to achieve peace, we need justice," Minneapolis activist and mayoral candidate Sheila Nezhad wrote in a for the Star Tribune. "We need to show the people of Minneapolis that their voices are heard, and their grief is shared. We need healing, not fear. An armed military occupation of our city while we await Chauvin's fate is not the answer."Over the summer, Minneapolis suffered tens of millions of dollars in damages from rioters following the death of Floyd. The demonstrations against alleged police brutality sparked both a local and national debate over defunding law enforcement agencies.Despite a persistent effort by several council members to dramatically cut money allocated to law enforcement, the body recently unanimously approved for dozens of new police officers.For months, the city police department suffered from a serious blow in morale, with 200 fewer officers on staff than normal. Deputy Police Chief Amelia Huffman applauded the city council's bill for more funding, in exchange for a more exhaustive interview process, saying the move "will help us to really feel confident that we are recruiting the kinds of candidates we want from the beginning."

he city government and local businesses are bracing for a new wave of violence as the officer accused of faces a jury next week.From now until the end of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's trial, swaths of the city's downtown will be closed to traffic and strictly limited for pedestrians.Businesses have begun boarding up windows in hopes of limiting further damage following last summer's riots."You might want to consider adding physical barriers, such as boarding or permanent security gates," Minneapolis Economic Policy and Development Director Erik Hansen suggested to local...

Minneapolis prepares for unrest during Chauvin trial

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