Today marks two weeks since the death of George Floyd, who died following his arrest by four former Minneapolis police officers - all of which are currently facing charges linked to his death.
And in a monumental vote, the Minneapolis city council yesterday pledged to disband the city's police department and replace it with a new system of public safety.
The historic move comes as protests - some peaceful, some violent - sweep across the nation, with many calling for police departments to be defunded.
Speaking at a community rally on Sunday, a veto-proof majority of councilmembers declared their intent to "dismantle" and "abolish" the embattled police force responsible for 46-year-old Floyd’s death, The Guardian reports.
Nine of the Minneapolis City Council's 12 members appeared alongside activists on Sunday afternoon and vowed to rebuild the city's police force all over again with an alternative model focused on community-led safety, Sky News states.
KARE listed Council President Lisa Bender, VP Andrea Jenkins, and Councilmembers Alondra Cano, Jeremiah Ellison, Steve Fletcher, Phillipe Cunningham, Cam Gordon, and Jeremy Schroeder as attending the event, most of whom took turns to address the gathered crowd.
Lisa Bender said at the event:
"In Minneapolis and in cities across the US, it is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe.
"Our efforts at incremental reform have failed, period. Our commitment is to do what’s necessary to keep every single member of our community safe and to tell the truth: that the Minneapolis police are not doing that. Our commitment is to end policing as we know it and to recreate systems of public safety that actually keep us safe."
Bender later tweeted: "Thank you to the thousands of community members who have raised your voices to demand change. Thank you to @reclaimtheblock & @BlackVisionsMN for inviting us in. Today is a beginning. Minneapolis: we invite you to be part of building a system so our whole community is safe."
The landmark decision is a major victory for abolitionist activists and a direct response to the widespread protests continuing to ensure across the states.
However, despite the veto-proof ruling, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey has reiterated that he does not support abolishing the city's police force.
During a demonstration in the on Sunday, Frey was heavily booed and heckled by protesters after saying that he is opposed to abolishing the city's police force - see the video below:
The crowd quickly turned on Jacob, chanting: "Go home, Jacob! Go Home!"
In a statement to KARE, Frey said:
"I'll work relentlessly with Chief [Medaria] Arradondo and alongside community toward deep, structural reform and addressing systemic racism in police culture. We're ready to dig in and enact more community-led, public safety strategies on behalf of our city. But, I do not support abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department."
Per Fox News, Frey is also seeking federal and state aid for Minneapolis, citing more than $55 million in damage.
Floyd's death sparked unrest across the US, as protests saw people come together to call out the systemic injustices carried out against black people - not least seen by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
As well as a call for justice, these ongoing protests - some peaceful, some violent - are demanding an end to police brutality and the racism that is so deeply entrenched in America and the western world.
The message is simple: Black lives matter.
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