Threats, intimidation & violence have no place in Minneapolis politics

Commentary by Latonya Reeves | March 4, 2023

Editor’s Note: Latonya Reeves is the Chair of the Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission and Vice-Chair of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission. The opinions expressed in this commentary are hers.

Local politics is a place where communities, especially marginalized communities, can find a place to be heard about the issues that affect them daily. Who will support their children at school? What programs and policies are in place to help them succeed?  How do tax levies affect their property taxes?  How do elected officials advocate for their specific constituents? How do we hold police accountable for their actions?  Everyday people get to be involved in all these decisions if they show up and participate. I have had the pleasure of talking with people all over the Twin Cities regarding the power that they have in their votes.  It is what my ancestors fought and died for.  As a political organizer, I love when the community gets involved in issues that matter to them.

"There are many people in the community who condone such behavior.  This is unacceptable.  Community members, especially Council members who are currently in office and those running for office, should all condemn such behavior."

Unfortunately, there are some in the community, that have taken their right to advocate for what they believe in too far.  Recently, Minneapolis City Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw was accosted after an activist saw her eating lunch.  This stemmed from an earlier vote regarding Roof Depot in the Minneapolis City Council chambers, in which community members acted out in an aggressive manner due to a vote canceling demolition contracts for the Rood Depot being rejected.  The decision failed after not receiving enough votes to proceed (6-6), in which eight votes were needed.  There are people on either side of this issue with valid points about how the city should proceed on this issue, however, this does not give anyone the right to be physically abusive to an elected official because they do not like how they voted.  CM Vetaw defended herself after an activist screamed, shouted, and hurled profanities at her while she was walking away.  She was on an escalator and could have been seriously injured, especially considering how close the activist was to her face.  In the video posted online, you can see how close the phone was to her face.  At what point do we say enough is enough? At what point do we acknowledge that, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, we can disagree without being violently disagreeable?  Black women, who have fought to have a seat at the table,  need to be uplifted in our community, especially those who work in public service.

When I learned that a black man had verbally and physically engaged with CM Vetaw, I was even more disturbed. Black men need to support black women, and vice-versa.  This activist did not accost any of the other council members who were there eating lunch, only CM Vetaw.  We have got to take a stand in our community to protect women, especially black women.   This is the same activist who cornered Council President Andrea Jenkins in her vehicle and demanded that she do as he said, or she would not be able to leave.  That is a crime in my book—it is called False Imprisonment.  He and the others who were there should have been arrested for such behavior.  Being an activist fighting for what you believe in does not give anyone the right to infringe on the rights of others.  Everyone deserves to be heard, but not in this way. Expletives, as well as threats of harm to their family members, were hurled at city council members during the meeting.  Is this an effective way to be heard? Absolutely not.  Once you start disrespecting others instead of having critical discourse, no one is listening. Three council members have filed police reports against these activists for the way they behaved. As they should have.

There are many people in the community who condone such behavior.  This is unacceptable.  Community members, especially Council members who are currently in office and those running for office, should all condemn such behavior.  Physical violence, threats, and profanity can very quickly turn into political terrorism. That is how I see such behavior.  Another January 6th, happening right here in Minneapolis.  Our city has gone through so much in the last several years and the world is watching. We need to show up and make significant changes in our community, but not at the expense of our constitutional rights.  Freedom of speech is guaranteed under the First Amendment, but not freedom of terrorism. We are a city of inequalities, injustices, and ideologies. We have a lot of things that need to be addressed, many areas of concern, and almost half a million people to involve in the process.  What we cannot do though, is have physical altercations to be heard on a political issue.  We must respect the rights of people to vote how they wish on any given topic, without being assaulted for it.

Be the change that you want to see, with a voice that is sincere, resounding, and confident in your ideologies. Stand up for what you believe in and be heard in the process. Let’s champion the issues that are important to our city, one vote at a time.

Latonya Reeves

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About Latonya Reeves

My name is Latonya Reeves. I am the Chair of the Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission and Vice-Chair of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission. I work in public safety and am a fierce advocate for community conversations and coalition building to tackle pressing issues in our community.  I sit on the executive board of the Minnesota Corrections Association and am Vice-President of AFSCME Council 5.  I am President of ASFCME Local 552 and a staunch supporter of unions, worker rights, and well-being. I am the DFL-Deputy Outreach and Inclusion Officer for CD5 and sit on the executive board of SD61 and the Minneapolis DFL. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology of Law, Criminology and Deviance,  a Master of Science in Public Service Leadership in Criminal Justice, and have completed all coursework for my Ph.D. in Criminal Justice.  I am a life-long learner in all things.  I am also a proud black woman who is a voice for my community.