Death of George Floyd: Minneapolis cuts police budget
Tens of thousands of people take part in a silent protest march in Seattle, June 12, 2020, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
REUTERS - LINDSEY WASSON
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Minneapolis, the city where George Floyd was killed last May, city council passed legislation that takes millions of dollars from the police budget.
And this in order to make the city "safer".
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"Defund the police", withdraw the funds from the police force, it was a slogan which one heard a lot during the demonstrations which followed the death of George Floyd.
The city council of Minneapolis, the city where the African American was killed by law enforcement officers, quickly pledged to implement police reform.
It's done even if the project is not as ambitious as initially planned.
About $ 8 million, roughly 5% of the police budget, has been allocated to other items, including violence prevention operations.
The restrictions come as more than 130 police officers resigned after the death of George Floyd, a sixth of the total.
The police chief sharply criticized the city council's decision, explaining that violence had reached an all-time high in Minneapolis.
The city has recorded nearly 80 homicides this year, unprecedented in a decade.
Car thefts are also on the rise, which means that some residents do not want the police force to be reduced.
A debate that is likely to last beyond the trial of the four police officers accused of killing George Floyd, scheduled for next March.
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