The University Of Minnesota is stepping up in a big way.
46-year-old George Floyd had his life tragically taken away from him a few days ago after a police officer could be seen with his knee on his neck for several minutes as the man pleaded for him to move because he could not breathe. He eventually lost consciousness and died.
The shocking video has caused an uproar around the country and protests and riots have begun as a result.
The University of Minnesota is now taking drastic steps to distance themselves from the local police department by announcing they will no longer contract them for major events.
The university’s president Joan Gabel issued a statement, ESPN:
“Our hearts are broken after watching the appalling video capturing the actions of Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers against George Floyd leading to his tragic death,” Gabel said in her letter. “As a community, we are outraged and grief-stricken. I do not have the words to fully express my pain and anger and I know that many in our community share those feelings, but also fear for their own safety. This will not stand.”
“We have a responsibility to uphold our values and a duty to honor them,” Gabel wrote. “I write to you to express our overwhelming sadness, and our demands for accountability and justice. Our campuses and facilities are a part of the communities in which they reside. University students, staff, and faculty are day-to-day participants in the life of every community in this state, and we must act when our neighbors are harmed and in pain.”
