Black Lives Matter: Crashed Ice protest canceled; demands addressed
Updated 1:15 p.m. | Posted 12:41 p.m.
Black Lives Matter St. Paul leaders have canceled their planned protest at the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in St. Paul on Saturday, saying their demands have been met.
In a Facebook post, the group's leader Rashad Turner said several of the group's demands were addressed during meetings with city officials, including Mayor Chris Coleman.
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The demands included the firing of Jeff Rothecker, the St. Paul Police officer who said drivers should run over people taking part in a Martin Luther King Junior Day march. Rothecker resigned last week.
Coleman, in a statement, said he's pleased that the protest will not happen and that the city is working to address the concerns raised by Black Lives Matter.
"We are currently conducting a review of the Police Civilian Internal Affairs Review Committee. Chief (Tom) Smith recently announced that investigations of officer involved shootings will be handled by outside agencies," the mayor said, adding the city's racial equity work "is becoming a national model and includes equity plans in each and every department in the city."
Coleman said he's working with state Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul, on a legislative package that he says would help strengthen community-police relations.
He said that would include allowing cities and police departments to be able to inform the public when officers have been disciplined or are appealing discipline. It would also review the use of grand juries, particularly in cases where deadly force is used by a police officer.
The package would also address training for police officers in dealing with those suffering from mental illness, Coleman added.