How Minneapolis Is Planning to Avoid Unrest During Derek Chauvin Trial
Leah Barkoukis
Posted: Mar 01, 2021 8:45 AMThe killing of George Floyd in police custody at the end of May sparked global protests and nationwide rioting that carried on into the fall. Now, the city of Minneapolis is worried about another event that could trigger even more unrest: ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial.
The city council approved a de-escalation plan on Friday that passed unanimously, which pours $1 million into a communications effort that includes teaming up with community leaders, social media influencers, and local media outlets during the March trial. Additionally, it will extend to the August trial of the three other former police officers who were charged in Floyd’s death.
The six social media influencers will be paid $2,000 each to share “city-generated and approved messages†with African-American, Native American, East African, Hmong and Latino communities, according to officials, in an effort to combat misinformation.
It is part of what the city calls a Joint Information System intended to create multiple channels on the ground and online to share “timely and relevant information†with the public throughout the trials. The program will involve partnerships with community groups and Black-led media as well as ethnic radio stations, officials said.
“The goal is to increase access to information to communities that do not typically follow mainstream news sources or city communications channels,†or who do not get their news in English, Sarah McKenzie, a city spokeswoman, said in an email. “It’s also an opportunity to create more two-way communication between the city and communities.†(NYT)
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https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2021/03/01/how-minneapolis-is-planning-to-avoid-unrest-during-derek-chauvin-trial-n2585493
