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Minneapolis mayor booed out of George Floyd event for refusing to defund police

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was booed out of a George Floyd demonstration after refusing to commit to defunding the police department, according to a report.

Frey was asked directly by a protest organizer Saturday whether he would defund the police when demonstrators marched to his home, news station WCCO reported.

“I’m not for abolishing the entire police department, I will be honest about that,” Frey told the protesters.

His response was met with a chorus of boos and chants of “Go home, Jacob, go home,” according to video posted to Twitter.

Jacob Frey speaking to media and demonstrators at the event he was booed out of
Jacob Frey speaking to media and demonstrators at the event he was booed out ofStephen Maturen/Getty Images

Meanwhile, several members of the city council have pledged to “dismantle” the police department in the wake of Floyd’s death.

“We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety,” Council President Lisa Bender wrote on Twitter.

Frey being admonished by demonstrators after standing by his position against defunding the police
Frey being admonished by demonstrators after standing by his position against defunding the policeGetty Images

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was in attendance at the rally, said she’s pleased that there’s consensus on the Minneapolis City Council about the police department being “inherently beyond reform,” WCCO reported.

The calls to abolish the city’s police come after Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis died after a white cop, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.