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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Community & George Floyd Square Caretakers Condemn the City of Minneapolis for Closing GFS
Media Contact–
Email address: jhussein@cair.com
Phone: 612-406-0070
Email address: zmohamed@cair.com
Phone: 612-229-5585
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2021
Community and George Floyd Square Caretakers to Condemn the City of Minneapolis for Closing George Floyd Square and Reopening the Street Without Meeting the Demands of the Community.
Minneapolis, MN-This morning, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) will Join the Community leaders and George Floyd Square caretakers to Condemn the City of Minneapolis for opening the George Floyd Square Without meeting the demands of the community.
See: See: Minneapolis workers clear traffic barricades at George Floyd Square
COMMUNITY MEMBERS FIERCELY OPPOSE INHUMANE ATTEMPTS BY THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS TO SHUT DOWN GEORGE FLOYD SQUARE
Please be advised that today at Noon (12pm), June 3rd, 2021, leaders and community members will be holding a press conference at George Floyd Square regarding the inhumane actions of the city of Minneapolis in attempting to shut down George Floyd Square.
At around 5AM today, the city of Minneapolis sent dozens of city workers, bulldozers, and other equipment to George Floyd Square to remove mementos, signs, and other precious items left by visitors, as well as barricades surrounding the square. The actions of city officials to disrupt and dismantle a sacred memorial site to get back to business-as-usual is highly disturbing, traumatizing, and inhumane.
WHEN: Thursday, June 3rd at 12:00 PM
WHERE: George Floyd Square – 38th & Chicago
CONTACT:
CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein, 612-406-0070, jhussein@cair.com;
CAIR-MN Community Advocacy Manager Zaynab Mohamed, 612-229-5585, Zmohamed@cair.com
“I was traumatized by the reopening of the street at George Floyd Square. I just cried because it was traumatizing to see what has happened. No one told me or the community. But one thing I will not do even though they opened the street: I will never drive my car down the street where my nephew was killed, knowing that he had cried out for his mama,” said Angela Harrelson, Aunt of George Floyd and Co-chair of the board of the George Floyd Global Memorial.
George Floyd Square has become a local, national, and international place for healing, memorialization of the life of George Floyd and many others who have been killed by police, and a place of resistance against oppression, racism, and white supremacy. There is literally no other place like it in the world.
“For the last 12 months, I have served as one of many volunteer caretakers of George Floyd Square. All I could do was weep when I saw how the city worked to tear down the one sacred space we have to memorialize those who have been killed by police. There are no words for the pain I feel. The fight for justice continues, said Jeanelle Austin, South Minneapolis resident and volunteer.
Jaylani Hussein executive of CAIR-MN said, “George Floyd square should be respected and the demands by the community for police accountability has yet to be met. The case for the remaining officers is pending and GFS is and will always be a national memorial for victims of police violence.”
Last August, activists and community members presented a list of 24 demands to city leaders in order to address the short and long term concerns of community members, including the lack of economic opportunity in the community surrounding George Floyd Square (See Justice Resolution here). The city has not met those demands or responded in good faith to community concerns.
CAIR-MN’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-MN es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
––
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
Condemn the City of Bloomington for flying the thin blue line flag
Media Contact–
Email address: jhussein@cair.com
Phone: 612-406-0070
Email address: zmohamed@cair.com
Phone: 612-229-5585
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2021
CAIR-MN will Join Community Leaders and Faith Leaders to condemn the City of Bloomington for flying the thin blue line flag over the Bloomington city Police Department.
Minneapolis, MN— CAIR-MN will Join Community Leaders and Faith Leaders to condemn the city of Bloomington for flying the Thin blue line flag -a symbol of white supremacy over the Bloomington city Police Department.
See: Bloomington Council Minute May 19
The thin Blue line Flag Flown over the Bloomington city Police Department represents bigotry, white supremacy and ideology that is exclusionary and dangerous to black and brown bodies across America. Flying this flag over the Bloomington police department is especially insensitive during the time marking the one-year murder of George Floyd at the hands and knees of law enforcement. The thin blue line flag is a representation of keeping the status quo of unjust policing in the state of Minnesota and Community leaders along with faith leaders condemn this act and call for accountability.
WHEN: Thursday, May 27th at 11:00 AM
WHERE: 1800 W Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington, MN 55431
CONTACT:
CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein, 612-406-0070, jhussein@cair.com;
CAIR-MN Community Advocacy Manager Zaynab Mohamed, 612-229-5585, Zmohamed@cair.com
CAIR-MN’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-MN es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
––
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
A Multi-Racial Coalition of Women and Mothers Calls for Murder and Manslaughter Charges against Kimberly Potter
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2021
A Multi-Racial Coalition of Women and Mothers Calls for Murder and Manslaughter Charges against Kimberly Potter in the brutal police killing of Daunte Wright.
Brooklyn Center, MN— Please be advised that on Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 3pm, there will be a press conference by Black and white women and mothers regarding the insufficient charges being brought against Kimberly Potter, the white women officer who racially-profiled and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. We will also call for an immediate end to Operation Safety Net, a violent police/military operation that has reigned terror upon Black people and protesters standing in solidarity with them.
The press conference will be held across the street from the Brooklyn Center Police Department at 1500 69th Avenue North, Brooklyn Center.
Today, as our community grieves the loss of Daunte Wright, yet another black man killed by police, a coalition of Black and white women are coming together in solidarity to demand accountability for his death and an end to state-sanctioned violence against the community.
“For over 400 years Black people in America have been killed by state-sanctioned violence. In 1965, civil rights organizer Ella Baker said, “Until the killing of black men, black mothers’ sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother’s sons, we who believe in freedom cannot rest,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and activist.
Black women leaders have called for Kimberly Potter, former Brooklyn Center police officer, to be charged with murder and manslaughter for the killing of Daunte Wright. During the protests following Daunte Wright’s death, we have seen the results of Operation Safety Net unleashed on protesters, the majority of whom are young people of color, and surrounding community residents with devastating effects.
Black leaders have called for the immediate termination of Operation Safety Net and the violence and trauma this violent and abusing police/military regime has inflicted upon the community.
“Operation Safety Net is harming Black youth, those standing in solidarity with them, and children living in the neighborhood of the Brooklyn Center Police Department. We demand an immediate end to this deadly and abusive operation. The killing of any human being should be unacceptable to us all, and we as Black and white women are coming together to demand murder and manslaughter charges be brought against Kimberly Potter to hold her accountable for the murder of Daunte Wright,” said Amelia Hansa, member of the Racial Justice Network.
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
Kim Potter charges insufficient
Media Contact–
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2021
Kim Potter charges insufficient
Brooklyn Center, MN— Three days ago, former police officer Kim Potter, a 26 year police veteran, shot and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man and father of a toddler. Earlier today, Washington County Attorney announced he would only bring 2nd-degree manslaughter charges against Potter. However, manslaughter charges are insufficient in this case. The body-worn camera footage and the circumstances surrounding this case warrant murder charges.
Body camera footage revealed that Potter had her gun out and pointed at Wright for several seconds before shooting Mr. Wright. Additionally, Potter had her gun on her right side and her taser on her left side. There is also a substantial weight difference between a gun and a taser. Not only was Kim Potter a 26 year veteran on the force, she was a training officer and the president of the police union. Shooting and killing Mr. Wright was not an accident and the charges should reflect that.
“Kim Potter needs to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law for the brutal, reckless, and unnecessary killing of Daunte Wright, just as a civilian would be held accountable and charged with murder under similar circumstances. In fact, Potter’s years of firearms and tactical training and experience should result in her being held to a higher standard than the average person. Daunte Wright was racially-profiled, treated like a threat, and dehumanized by Potter because he was a young Black man. If he had been a young white man, none of this would have ever happened, ” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, Attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network.
“Potter’s actions indicated a history of this behavior which suggests habit rather than “accident”, notes Jessica Marshik, member of the Racial Justice Network. Marshik continues: “In the fight to combat white supremacy, it is imperative that the state of Minnesota hold white officers accountable for their racist, irrational fear and deadly actions.”
We demand Washington County bring stronger charges of 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter; comparable to those in the case of former officer, Mohammed Noor (a Black Muslim, convicted of killing Justine Ruszczyk-Damond, an affluent white woman). We also reiterate the need for Governor Tim Walz to appoint a special prosecutor in this and all cases of police killings.
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
Community Calls For Boycott of Benihana Due To Racist, Dangerous Abuse Against Black Customers
Media Contact–
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Community Calls For Boycott of Benihana Due To Racist, Dangerous Abuse Against Black Customers
Please be advised that on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at 4:00pm in front of Benihana Golden Valley, 850 Louisiana Avenue, South Golden Valley, MN 55426, community members will be speaking out against racist and discriminatory behavior towards African American customers by Benihana’s management.
On March 29, 2021, five Black Women, including an elder and toddler, were refused services after asking for their table to be properly cleaned and to speak with the manager. The police were called by the manager of Benihana’s Golden Valley location in an attempt to intimidate, criminalize, and physically remove the five women from the restaurant. The manager on duty, Kim, verbally threatened to have the woman arrested if the women did not get up from the table in which they were seated and leave the restaurant. The request from the manager came without explanation and/or reason.
“This was the modern-day Jim Crow refusal of service to customers based on the color of their skin,” said Rosemary Nevils Williams, elder, activist and co-founder of the African American Center of Minnesota, in response to being forcibly removed from the restaurant.
“As a St. Paul Public Schools board member, I don’t expect special treatment when I go out to restaurants, but as a Black woman who works on behalf of my community, I do expect to be treated with dignity. I was excited about celebrating my birthday with my wife and my closest friends, but the Benihana manager’s discriminatory treatment turned my celebration into a nightmare. I don’t want to see other Black customers treated like second class citizens in businesses they patronize,” said Chauntyll Allen, founder of Black Lives Matter Twin Cities and Love First.
The Parties’ Demands Include:
• Immediate termination of the racist and unprofessional manager, Kim;• A Boycott of the Golden Valley location;• A public apology from the Benihana Corporation;• Anti- Racism training for the staff, with a focus on unlearning anti-blackness;• A corporate wide policy against calling the police on African Americans and other communities of color; and• Benihana Corporation to pay the Culinary Arts tuition of five African American students eachyear, during the existence of the company.