UN Experts on Racial Justice in Policing Visit Minnesota
Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in
Law Enforcement Hears Community Testimony, Demands for Action
On May 2,
the Twin Cities welcomed the United Nations Expert
Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in the context of Law
Enforcement (EMLER). EMLER was created after the global outcry over the
murder of George Floyd turned the eyes of the nation and the world to Minnesota
in the summer of 2020.
The visit was a result of coordinated efforts of community members, activists, and organizations that united to call the Expert Mechanism to Minnesota. In organizing a wealth of responses to the Mechanism's call for input, the Twin Cities community expressed a strong desire to meet with international human rights experts and share their stories, experiences, and expertise concerning systemic racism in law enforcement.
While international standards on police use of force and solitary confinement exist, Minnesota fails to meet these international standards. The resultant accountability gap has contributed to impunity for state-involved killings and prolonged solitary confinement.
According
to Toshira Garaway from Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence
(FSFAPV), "George Floyd was the face of hundreds of Black and minority people
that have lost their life at the hands of the law enforcement in Minnesota and
thousands around the United States. Just as George Floyd was the face of those
victims, Derek Chavin was the face of not all, but many police officers serving
in our Black and Brown communities."
During the
public
meeting, community leaders shed light on the lived experiences of Black and
Brown communities by sharing their testimonies on police violence and solitary
confinement. In the afternoon, the experts meet with government officials and
other stakeholders to discuss systemic racism and police violence in Minnesota.
"It was an incredibly powerful space to be in. To sit
in solidarity with numerous Black led civil society organizations and
organizers in the twin cities who have been doing this kind of work for years
really spoke volumes," said Richnetta Parker, who helped support the visit
.
This was
an unprecedented opportunity for the Twin Cities community to address the
systemic state-sanctioned violence against Black and Brown communities in
Minnesota. Time and time again, Minnesota's elected leaders have failed to make
meaningful change in the state's law enforcement practices and accountability
mechanisms. In amplifying the voices of those most impacted by police violence,
EMLER's visit empowers the Twin Cities community to be at the center of calls
for just solutions.
"The fact
that the Expert Mechanism is here is important because it shows the United States,
and the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments, that the world is
watching," said The Advocates' Katia Galambos, who helped support the visit.
The Minnesota visit was organized by Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, Atlas of Blackness, Urban League Twin Cities, University of Minnesota Law School Human Rights Center, Center for Victims of Torture, Minnesota Justice Research Center, UN Antiracism Coalition, and The Advocates for Human Rights.
Photo Credit: AHR Staff
