Civil Rights Coalition Press Conference Today (3PM) — ICE Violence, Political Repression & Target Boycott
PRESS RELEASE - EMBARGOED
Civil Rights Coalition Press Conference: Political Repression, ICE Violence & Community Resistance
- Hennepin County Government Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Thursday, January 29, 2026 — 3:00 PM CST
Minneapolis, MN — Representatives from the Racial Justice Network, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, CAIR Minnesota, and Communities United Against Police Brutality, alongside leaders of the national Target Boycott Coalition, will hold a press conference today at 3:00 PM CST at the Hennepin County Government Center.
The coalition will confront the political persecution of peaceful protesters, the unchecked expansion of ICE power under the Trump administration, the lack of accountability for the federal killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, and the launch of year two of the nationwide Target boycott.
“This moment represents a dangerous escalation in the criminalization of dissent,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. “Chauntyll Allen, William Kelly, and I are facing trumped-up charges not because we committed crimes, but because we challenged federal brutality and exposed the authoritarian conduct of the Trump administration. These arrests are political retaliation — designed to intimidate organizers and suppress resistance. We will not be silenced.”
Issues to Be Addressed
- Unjust Arrests & Political Targeting of Protesters
Speakers will lead by addressing the unjust arrests of Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Allen, William Kelly, and Satara Strong-Allen following a nonviolent, peaceful protest at Cities Church in St. Paul to call attention to ICE Pastor David Easterwood and his role as acting director of the ICE field office in Minnesota. These arrests reflect a broader national pattern of criminalizing peaceful protest, targeting high-profile organizers, and weaponizing the legal system to suppress opposition to federal enforcement abuses.
The coalition will demand the immediate dismissal of all charges against peaceful protesters targeted for exercising their constitutional rights.
- Escalating ICE Militarization in Minnesota
Under the Trump administration’s federal enforcement surge, Minnesota communities have experienced an influx of heavily armed federal agents and aggressive ICE operations that have escalated tensions, endangered civilians, and normalized militarized policing tactics in residential neighborhoods and public spaces.
- Killing of Renee Nicole Good
On January 7, 2026, ICE agents shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a Minnesota resident who was observing federal enforcement activity. Despite the death being ruled a homicide and widespread public outrage, there has been no meaningful accountability, arrests, or transparent disciplinary action.
- Killing of Alex Pretti & Federal Disinformation
On January 24, 2026, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen who was documenting ICE activity. Initial claims by the Trump administration portraying Pretti as a violent threat were later contradicted by eyewitness testimony and video evidence, exposing a familiar pattern of official misinformation used to justify lethal force.
- Target Boycott Enters Year Two
February 1 marks the second anniversary of the nationwide Target boycott, co-founded by Nekima Levy Armstrong, Jaylani Hussein, and Monique Cullars-Doty. The boycott was launched in response to Target’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments and the company’s perceived accommodation of ICE operations, including concerns about federal agents staging near or on Target-owned properties.
“The Target boycott exists because corporations cannot be allowed to profit while enabling state violence,” said Jaylani Hussein, co-founder of the Target Boycott Coalition. “When Target rolled back its DEI commitments and created conditions that made its stores welcoming terrain for ICE operations, it sent a clear message about whose side it was on. Year two of this boycott is about demanding corporate accountability and building economic pressure that cannot be ignored.”
Speakers
- Nekima Levy Armstrong — Founder, Racial Justice Network; Civil Rights Attorney, Co-founder, Nationwide Target Boycott
- Chauntyll Allen — Co-founder, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities
- Satara Strong-Allen — Co-Leader, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities
- Monique Cullars-Doty — Co-founder, Black Lives Matter Minnesota; Co-founder, Nationwide Target Boycott
- Jaylani Hussein — Executive Director, CAIR MN, Co-founder, Nationwide Target Boycott
- Michelle Gross — President, Communities United Against Police Brutality
Coalition Demands
The coalition will call for:
- Immediate dismissal of all charges against peaceful protesters
- Independent investigations into the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti
- Criminal accountability for federal agents who used deadly force
- An end to militarized ICE operations in Minnesota
- Corporate accountability from Target and other companies enabling federal enforcement activity
EMBARGO LIFTS: January 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM CST
WOMEN AND MOTHERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR RENÉE GOOD CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ARREST OF ICE AGENT JONATHAN ROSS
- The immediate arrest and charging of ICE agent Jonathan Ross
- An end to federal lies and political interference
- Local and state accountability without delay, and a clear timeline and process for the locally-led independent investigation
- Real protections for women and mothers from state violence
Emergency Press Conference Re: ICE Killing of Minneapolis Resident Renee Good & Calls for Accountability
Minneapolis, MN — Community leaders and civil rights advocates are calling an Emergency Press Conference following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, who was killed by an agent of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a federal enforcement operation in south Minneapolis.
The press conference will take place on Thursday, January 8th at 1:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Hennepin County Government Center, located at 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415.
Eyewitness accounts and publicly available video footage expose grave and urgent concerns about the circumstances surrounding Ms. Good’s killing and directly refute efforts by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
to justify the use of deadly force by ICE agents. This evidence compels immediate accountability and is why advocates are calling on local law enforcement—not federal agencies—to take swift, independent
action without delay.
“This was not an abstract policy failure. This was a killing carried out by an individual officer,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. “Based on eyewitness testimony and video evidence, there is probable cause to arrest the ICE agent responsible for Renee Good’s death. Federal badges do not confer immunity. We are calling on the Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office to act immediately.”
Community leaders emphasize that accountability cannot be delayed or deferred to internal federal review processes when a civilian has been killed.
“We are being asked to accept a federal narrative that does not align with what community members saw with their own eyes,” said Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director of CAIR–Minnesota. “Transparency is not optional when state violence takes a human life. Justice requires independent action, not secrecy or delay.”
The shooting occurred amid a heightened federal enforcement presence that has already generated widespread fear, unrest, and trauma—particularly in Black, immigrant, and Muslim communities across Minnesota.
“I reject the legitimacy of ICE as an institution that has repeatedly been used to inflict violence on Black and brown communities through aggressive enforcement, racialized targeting, and fear-driven propaganda,” said Monique Cullars-Doty, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota. “What happened to Renee Good is not an isolated incident—it is the predictable outcome of a system that empowers agents to act with impunity. ICE must be held accountable for this killing. The agent responsible must be arrested and prosecuted, and Renee’s family deserves meaningful reparations, including financial compensation and a formal acknowledgment of wrongdoing. A child has lost their mother, and no apology or payment can undo that harm—but justice demands far more than silence.”
Advocates stress that this moment demands decisive local action to uphold the rule of law and protect public safety.
Community Demands In response to the killing of Renee Good, community leaders and advocates demand the following immediate actions:
- The immediate arrest of the ICE agent responsible for the killing of Renee Good,
based on probable cause established through eyewitness testimony and video evidence. - The public release of the ICE agent’s name and badge identification, consistent with
transparency standards in all officer-involved killings. - The immediate release of all video evidence, including body-worn camera footage,
dash camera recordings, surveillance video, and any other relevant recordings related to
this incident. - The termination of the ICE agent’s employment, pending the outcome of criminal and
administrative proceedings. - The complete withdrawal of ICE agents from the state of Minnesota, whose presence
has escalated fear, undermined public safety, and resulted in the loss of civilian life. - The establishment of a Victims’ Compensation Fund to provide immediate financial
support, trauma-informed care, and long-term resources for Renee Good’s child and
family, recognizing the profound and irreversible harm caused by this killing.
About the Emergency Press Conference: The Emergency Press Conference will bring together community leaders, civil rights advocates, faith leaders, and residents to demand justice for Renee Good and accountability from all levels of government.
#JusticeForReneeGood
Community Groups Demand Accountability from Mayor Frey Over Promotion of Officer Who Killed Amir Locke
Minneapolis, MN— The Racial Justice Network, Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB), CAIR MN, Families Supporting Families, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, SWAE (Southwest Alliance for Equity), and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities will host a joint press conference on Tuesday, July 22 at 12:00 PM in the rotunda of Minneapolis City Hall to demand immediate action from Mayor Jacob Frey following the revelation that Officer Mark Hanneman—the officer who fatally shot Amir Locke during a no-knock raid in 2022—has been quietly promoted to sergeant and assigned to train other officers on use-of-force tactics within the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD)—without any public notice, disciplinary review, or independent investigation.
“This is a devastating betrayal of public trust and a slap in the face to Amir Locke’s family and our entire community,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, who released a public Open Letter to Mayor Frey calling for Hanneman’s removal, a full misconduct investigation, and immediate transparency from the mayor’s office.
Michelle Gross, President of CUAPB, added:
“Amir Locke should be alive today. The fact that the officer who killed him is now responsible for teaching others how to use force shows how entrenched this department remains in a culture of impunity. This is the exact opposite of accountability, and the community will not stand for it.”
Amir Locke, 22, was asleep on a couch when MPD SWAT officers stormed into the apartment and killed him within nine seconds—despite the fact that he was not a suspect. The killing reignited national outrage over no-knock warrants and police violence. Mayor Frey had previously promised to end the use of no-knock warrants during his 2021 re-election campaign.
Andre Locke, the father of Amir Locke, said:
“It’s like they’re trying to erase what happened to my son—to promote the man who took Amir’s life and put him in a position of leadership is beyond disrespectful. It’s retraumatizing. Amir was a beautiful soul. He didn’t deserve to die, and we don’t deserve this kind of cruelty. We want truth, transparency, and real accountability—not cover-ups and closed-door promotions.”
The press conference will include remarks from civil rights leaders, the family of Amir Locke, organizers, and impacted community members, followed by a call to action and demands for accountability.
Press Conference Details:
- Location: Minneapolis City Hall – Rotunda
- Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
- Time: 12:00 PM (Noon)
Demands include:
- Immediate removal of Officer Mark Hanneman from any training or leadership position
- An independent investigation into whether MPD policies were violated in Amir Locke’s killing
- A public explanation of Hanneman’s promotion and assignment
- A full review of all MPD use-of-force trainers, including their disciplinary histories, qualifications, and appropriateness to serve in a training role
- Full implementation of reforms recommended by the 2022 Community Safety Work Group
Notice of Press Conference on Thursday, 07/03 at 11 am at Hennepin County Gov't Center
July 2, 2025
MEDIA ADVISORY
Media Contact: Nekima Levy Armstrong
Email: nekimalevyarmstrong@gmail.com
Phone: 612-598-0559
Black Parents and Community Leaders to Hold Press Conference in Response to Recent Gun Violence
Minneapolis, MN — On Thursday, July 3rd at 11:00 a.m., a coalition of Black parents, youth-serving organizations, and community members will hold a press conference at the Hennepin County Government Center to raise urgent concerns about the recent surge in gun violence impacting local families.
In the past several weeks, multiple young Black women—some of them mothers—have been murdered at public gatherings, including parks. Most recently, a Black child was shot and killed near a park, deepening the grief and trauma experienced by the community.
“Parks should be safe spaces for children and families to gather, play, and enjoy life,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. “Instead, we are seeing these spaces become sites of violence and tragedy. Enough is enough.”
Raeisha Williams, Executive Director of Guns Down Love Up, added:
“We are burying Black women and men while those in power bury their responsibility. This isn’t just a public safety failure—it’s a moral one. Our lives are being sacrificed while gun traffickers roam free. We don’t need more thoughts and prayers—we need action and accountability.”
Satara Strong-Allen, Executive Director of Love First, emphasized the importance of healing over harm:
“It’s time to break the cycle. We must teach and practice conflict resolution and restorative approaches to heal our communities—rather than internalize white supremacist ideologies that condition us to meet harm with more harm.”
Gun violence continues to be a crisis in Black communities, leaving behind devastation, fear, and countless unsolved cases. In response, organizers will issue a heartfelt plea:
- To young people: Put the guns down. The harm and loss are too great to ignore.
- To parents and caregivers: Stay vigilant about your children’s whereabouts and peer groups—especially with the Fourth of July weekend approaching.
- To public officials: Crack down on gun traffickers who are flooding our streets with illegal weapons and fueling the violence claiming our loved ones.
WHAT: Press Conference on Gun Violence in the Black Community
WHEN: Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Main lobby, Hennepin County Government Center
ADDRESS: 300 S. 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415
WHO:
- Racial Justice Network
- Guns Down Love Up
- Love First
- Black Lives Matter Minnesota
- Parents, youth advocates, and community members
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Target’s Role in Prosecutorial Harm and Mass Incarceration in Minneapolis and Hennepin County
A Receipts Brief to Accompany the Open Letter to the National Baptist Convention
Prepared by frontline organizers in Minneapolis | June 26, 2025
1. Target Funded the Prosecutors Who Over-Policed Black Youth
For years, Target Corporation directly funded the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) under County Attorneys Amy Klobuchar and Mike Freeman. These funds were earmarked for “community prosecution” and “retail crime,” but disproportionately resulted in the criminalization of poor Black neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
At the same time, Target developed close relationships with Minneapolis Police (MPD) through surveillance partnerships like SafeZone, sharing private security footage, and helping fund downtown policing strategies that targeted Black youth and homeless people.
Bottom Line: Target used its wealth and power to demand criminal convictions, fund surveillance-heavy partnerships, and disproportionately criminalize Black communities. Target was not a passive donor. It helped design and promote these prosecutorial initiatives in partnership with local law enforcement.
2. Black Children Were Caught in the Crosshairs:
Target’s financial and strategic influence helped fuel a system that over-criminalized and incarcerated Black teens.
Three Known Cases of Harm
Myon Burrell
- Arrested at age 16 in a high-profile case during Klobuchar’s term as County Attorney.
- Convicted despite lack of physical evidence, with the case later deemed deeply flawed.• Sentence commuted in 2020 after public outcry, organizing, and investigative reporting by the Associated Press.
- Myon served 18 years in prison and is now seeking full exoneration.
Mahdi Ali
- Arrested at 15 years old, and tried as an adult—sentenced to life in prison.
- Target’s influence extended to the trial, where a so-called forensic expert with ties to the company provided key testimony.
- Mahdi’s trial was marred by unreliable evidence and public outcry over wrongful conviction.
- A national campaign is underway to Free Mahdi Ali, now over a decade into a sentence for a crime he did not commit.
Marvin Haynes
- Convicted at age 17 after a deeply flawed case; eyewitness recanted; no physical evidence.
- Served 20 years in prison before his conviction was overturned in 2023.
- Awarded financial compensation after full exoneration.
These three young Black men are not isolated examples—they are emblematic of a system that Target helped fund and shape.
Between the 1990s and early 2000s:
- Prosecutorial practices in Hennepin County ramped up youth sentencing.
- Black boys were tried as adults and subjected to life-altering punishments.
- Surveillance and criminalization in downtown and North Minneapolis intensified.
From 1983 to 2018, Minnesota’s prison population grew by 306%, with Black residents incarcerated at 10× the rate of white residents.
3. The Political Payoff: From County Prosecutor to U.S. Senate
Amy Klobuchar’s aggressive prosecutorial record, bolstered by Target’s support, became a springboard for her political rise to the U.S. Senate. She built her reputation on being “tough on crime,” using cases like Myon Burrell’s to prove her credentials. It was not until public outcry that the flaws of her legacy were fully exposed.
Meanwhile, Black families and communities were left behind to deal with the consequences.
4. Target’s Alliance with MPD and Harsh Prosecutors
This is not a story of passive corporate philanthropy. This is a story of intentional influence over the justice system. Target helped fund and shape policing strategies in Minneapolis, including its controversial SafeZone program in downtown Minneapolis and surveillance partnerships with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD)—that same department that murdered George Floyd.
MPD has a well-documented history of:
- Racial profiling
- Excessive force
- Illegal stops and searches
- Abuses targeting Black youths and residents
Target’s partnership and financial investments legitimized and empowered this institution, even
as communities called for change.
Why This Matters Now
Target has never:
- Apologized to the families impacted
- Acknowledged its role in unjust prosecutions
- Taken accountability for the harm it funded and enabled
Instead, it has pivoted to DEI rollbacks and political payoffs—attempting to buy back Black trust with a $300,000 donation to the National Baptist Convention. As frontline leaders, we are demanding accountability—not just for what Target promised in 2020, but for what it enabled long before. The National Baptist Convention, and all Black institutions, must reckon with the full weight of this truth before aligning with any corporation that has caused this level of racial harm.
This Is About More Than Retail
This is about corporate complicity in mass incarceration and the systemic targeting of Black youth. Target’s complicity in mass incarceration is not just bad PR---it is a civil and human rights crisis.
- Black children were caged.
- Black families were torn apart.
- Black communities were devastated.
This was done with corporate backing, behind the scenes, in the very city where George Floyd was murdered.
We demand truth. We demand accountability. We demand justice that cannot be bought.
Citations
1. Target’s Funding of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
Unicorn Riot – Target’s Relationship with Law Enforcement and Prosecutors
2. Myon Burrell Case
Associated Press – AP investigation casts doubt on teenager’s murder conviction
https://apnews.com/article/af6545f2945e43c2bd3c61e886907d4a
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder – Burrell family, activists push for full exoneration
https://spokesman-recorder.com/2021/10/13/myon-burrell-family-supporters-push-for-exoneration/
The Marshall Project – Klobuchar’s tough-on-crime legacy under scrutiny
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/02/28/the-burrell-affair
3. Marvin Haynes Case
CBS News – Marvin Haynes exonerated after nearly 20 years in prison
MPR News – Marvin Haynes awarded $1.2M after exoneration
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/12/19/marvin-haynes-awarded-compensation
4. Mahdi Ali Case
Unicorn Riot – Target-backed forensic testimony
FOX 9 – Family pushes for exoneration
https://www.fox9.com/news/mahdi-alis-family-ups-pressure-exoneration-2010-seward-market-killings
FOX 9 – "I’m Not the One" Interview
https://www.fox9.com/news/mahdi-ali-im-not-the-one.amp
5. Target’s Partnership with MPD + Prosecutors
DOJ Report (2023) – MPD’s history of racism and abuse
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1544536/download
Minnesota Reformer – Target’s SafeZone and surveillance partnerships
6. Incarceration Trends in Minnesota
Prison Policy Initiative – Minnesota Overview
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/MN.html
ACLU of Minnesota – Racial Disparities in Sentencing
https://www.aclu-mn.org/en/publications/unequal-justice
Open Letter to the National Baptist Convention
Open Letter to the National Baptist Convention
June 26, 2025
To the Leadership of the National Baptist Convention:
We write to you out of sacred responsibility and in the spirit of truth.
As Black, faith-rooted organizers and civil rights leaders based in Minneapolis—the very city where police stole George Floyd’s life—we have led the fight for racial justice, police accountability, and corporate responsibility before, during, and after the global uprisings of 2020.
On January 28, 2025, we—Nekima Levy Armstrong, Monique Cullars-Doty, and Jaylani Hussein—issued a national press release announcing a nationwide and indefinite boycott of Target, to begin on February 1, the first day of Black History Month. We launched the boycott with a press conference outside Target’s global headquarters in downtown Minneapolis—the very city where its betrayal began. Our action drew national press and a powerful, multiracial coalition.
Since then, the boycott has been successful, resulting in months of declining revenue and foot traffic, among other indicators. It has also inspired a wave of economic resistance actions across communities (i.e. The Latino Freeze, 40-Day Target Fast, Tesla Takedown, and actions by The People’s Union USA) and successfully pressured other corporations to recommit to DEI to avoid similar fallout.
We launched this boycott because Target quietly abandoned its $2.1 billion commitment to racial equity—a pledge made in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder to support Black-owned businesses, creators, and communities. Instead, the company eliminated diversity roles, severed ties with Black vendors, and dismantled its internal DEI infrastructure.
These rollbacks came amid mounting political pressure from the Trump administration, whose second term has accelerated attacks on Black history, racial equity, immigrant rights, voting rights, public education, dismantling DEI and civil rights offices across federal agencies, and reinstating aggressive federal policing support and militarization. Target’s alignment with authoritarian power was made even clearer when it made its first-ever donation to a presidential inaugural committee—contributing $1 million to the Trump-Vance inauguration.
But Target’s betrayal goes deeper.
Target has also played a disturbing role in reinforcing mass incarceration, particularly in Minneapolis and Hennepin County. For years, Target funded the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, working closely with former prosecutors Amy Klobuchar and Mike Freeman, and promoting a “tough-on-crime” agenda that disproportionately criminalized Black youth. That same office collaborated with the Minneapolis Police Department—a department known for its brutality and systemic racism, the very one that killed George Floyd.
This agenda helped produce several high-profile wrongful convictions of Black teenagers, including:
- Myon Burrell, convicted at 16 and imprisoned for over 18 years before his sentence was commuted in 2020 after investigative reporting by the Associated Press and an intense public campaign by Minneapolis activists demanding his release. He is now seeking full exoneration.
- Marvin Haynes, convicted in 2005 at age 16 for a murder he did not commit, based on a flawed process and coerced testimony. After spending nearly 20 years behind bars, he was fully exonerated in 2023 and later awarded a financial settlement for his unjust imprisonment.
- Mahdi Ali, arrested at 15 and sentenced to life in prison under deeply contested circumstances. His case involved junk science, questionable expert testimony, and heavy prosecutorial pressure. He has maintained his innocence for over a decade.
These are not isolated cases. They are part of a broader pattern of over-prosecution, harsh sentencing, and racial targeting—all backed by a corporate sponsor that profited while young Black lives were stolen. And yet, Target has never acknowledged its role. It has not apologized. It has not made amends.
Instead of meeting with the organizers of this boycott, Target has turned to familiar PR tactics: platforming figures like Pastor Jamal Bryant and Rev. Al Sharpton—neither of whom had any involvement in launching the boycott—as the public face of a movement they did not build.
Let us be clear, Pastor Jamal Bryant was fully aware of our boycott from the beginning. He received our press release and expressed interest in joining a coalition effort. But when it became clear that he intended to co-opt, rather than support, he was confronted—and responded with gaslighting and misdirection.
Over a month after our launch, Bryant repackaged our work as his own, created a separate campaign called the “40 Day Target Fast,” and misled the public and the press. He did not amplify our work. He erased it.
This is not a misunderstanding—it is misrepresentation.
And it reflects a long, painful history of Black women organizers being pushed aside, their labor claimed by male leaders seeking visibility or political favor. This is a painful and familiar pattern. Just as Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Septima Clark, and Diane Nash were sidelined during the Civil Rights Movement, Black women organizers today continue to face erasure, co-optation, and disrespect—even within our own institutions.
A Call to Conscience
We urge the National Baptist Convention to reconsider its alignment with a corporation that has caused such profound harm.
Target has:
- Rolled back its public commitments to Black communities,
- Funded and enabled the mass incarceration of Black youth,
- Aligned itself with authoritarian politics and the Trump administration,
This $300,000 payment does not heal—it deepens the wound. It appears to be a payout for silence and an attempt to regain Black consumer trust without accountability. Can the moral authority of the Black Church be bought for $300,000?
Who does the National Baptist Convention answer to—God, or corporations that bow to authoritarian leaders?
We are not here to be placated.
We are not here to be silenced.
We are here because justice requires truth. And the truth must be told—by those who carry its weight, not those sent to soften its edge.
The future of our people cannot be brokered behind closed doors. We will not allow it.
We call on the National Baptist Convention to:
- Return the $300,000 payment from Target as a public act of moral leadership.
- Refuse to act as intermediaries for corporations seeking image repair without accountability.
- Reject the corporate erasure of grassroots Black leadership—past and present.
- Demand a full reinstatement of Target’s racial equity commitments.
- Call for an official apology from Target to Black communities harmed by their actions.
- Support the release and full exoneration of those unjustly imprisoned—including Mahdi Ali—whose case reflects the brutal toll of corporate-funded prosecution.
In truth and solidarity,
Nekima Levy Armstrong
Civil Rights Attorney | Founder, Racial Justice Network | Former Minneapolis NAACP President
Monique Cullars-DotyCo-founder, Black Lives Matter Minnesota | National Racial Justice Organizer
Jaylani Hussein
Executive Director, CAIR-Minnesota | Human Rights Advocate
MPD Officers – second shooting in two weeks
Media Contact–
Nekima Levy Armstrong
nekimalevypounds@gmail.com
612-598-0559
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2021
MPD Officers involved in second shooting within the last two weeks
Local civil rights group demands all body-worn and squad car footage be released immediately
Minneapolis, MN – We are deeply concerned to learn about the shooting of yet another person by Minneapolis police officers earlier today. This time it happened on the corner of Logan and Lowry in North Minneapolis. An eye-witness account describes counting 68 shell casings after shots were fired at the victim’s car. With the volume of shots fired, it is surprising that the victim only suffered non-life threatening injuries. Racial Justice Network is calling on Mayor Frey and Chief Arradondo to immediately release all unedited officer body-worn camera and squad car footage related to this incident.
Recent events have highlighted that law enforcement can use restraint even while facing armed white individuals threatening them. In many such instances, white people are viewed by law enforcement as human beings who may be making bad choices; as opposed to threats needing to be controlled.
According to a spokesperson from the Minneapolis Police Department, the person who was apprehended did not immediately shoot upon being stopped; the individual allegedly fired a shot once police were smashing their car window to extract them. After a significant number of shots were fired, additional officers arrived and then used “non-lethal” force. It is unclear what, if any, de-escalation techniques were used prior to a barrage of gunfire by police, which could have endangered more residents. Body-worn camera footage should be released to show the public further details of this encounter.
The most recent police shooting occurred just two weeks ago, resulting in a loss of life. In that case, Chief Arradondo authorized the release of body camera footage within 24 hours to the public.
“We demand that all unedited body-worn and squad car footage from the police shooting today, be released immediately to the public. We have seen too many instances in which MPD has used early statements to the media to prejudice the public about the victim of a police shooting,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network.
“Unfortunately, the Minneapolis police have fostered an atmosphere of terror against Black bodies. If you are a person of color who is being apprehended by Minneapolis police, given their history of violence, it is easy to feel that your life is in danger and a person may react with that in mind. Based on early reports, the individual in this case was no longer within the vicinity of the 911 caller; implying any perception of an immediate threat to that caller was diminished. This should have provided time to deescalate the situation for the safety of all,” said Kimberly Milliard, member of the Racial Justice Network.
Our community is still grieving the murders of many lives stolen by MPD and surrounding police departments. Too often, residents of Minneapolis have watched members of the MPD incite violence against their neighbors, family members, and friends. The trauma associated with these experiences runs deep within our city, and events like today’s police shooting require immediate transparency and accurate communication from MPD, as well as public oversight to ensure proper protocols were followed, including de-escalation.
The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com
Myon Burrell is free
Tuesday, December 15th 2020 was an HISTORIC day for racial justice in Minnesota.
From the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder...
"Myon Burrell 34, who has spent the last 18 years of his life for a crime he insists he did not commit, may be home as soon as Tuesday night. The Minnesota Board of Pardons Tuesday voted unanimously to commute his life sentence to 20 years. Since he has already served 18 years, he will serve the remainder of his sentence on supervised release."
“It was powerful and refreshing to hear that the panel of prominent legal experts who
undertook extensive review of Myon Burrell’s case echoed calls from Myon’s family and the
community for his immediate release,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, who along with her
Racial Justice Network organization has worked to bring attention to this case."
Many activists from Minnesota, and around the nation, have been working together to fight for Myon's freedom for years. Efforts lead by Myon's sister Ianna, have gained national attention and support through social media campaigns, rallies, and community gatherings to raise awareness about Myon's innocence.
More information on Myon's story, along with ways to support and continue the fight, can be found here: website myonburrell.com
Myon will need our support as a community. Here is the link to his GoFundMe: gf.me/u/zcy6r9
https://spokesman-recorder.com/2020/12/15/free-at-last-myon-burrell-is-coming-home/
