Thread by @WedgeLIVE

Resolution from Council Members Gordon, Ellison, Schroeder, opposing the use of less-lethal crowd control weapons. Vote was 11-1 in favor (Palmisano against).

Council President Bender: this is a statement of Council's values "given the ambiguity of our authority" over police.

Resolution directs City Attorney to determine whether the council could, under existing charter, prohibit their use with an ordinance (answer: they can't).

This was the subject of a UMN study presented to the City Council in March.

https://twitter.com/WedgeLIVE/status/1367584303480107009

Bender: "Unfortunate that we haven't completed an after action report of last summer's protests and the actions of our police department" or find an external entity to do that report. Leaves unanswered questions heading into the summer.

Council Member Palmisano: "I am shocked & saddened, and like you, angry about how protests have been inflamed by these less-lethal munitions earlier this week in Brooklyn Center. I don't know that the public knows this is something that has been explored by our mayor & our chief"

Palmisano: "At this point, this doesn't feel like the right way to go. We do not, as the attorney just mentioned, have this authority. I won't be able to support this..." Rely on the experts. "Our expert is the chief."

"Dangerous to change course. We should work together."

Palmisano, speaking against a non-binding resolution against the use of rubber bullets and other less-lethal projectiles: "I deplore the use of rubber bullets, my values are right in line with yours. Make no mistake on that."

Palmisano: "I don't think that this can give the public the salve they need right now, if it's meaningless, even though voting against this feels bad right now... we don't know the implications of passing an absolute ban on all less-lethal munitions."

Council Member Lisa Goodman: I know people who've been hit and inured by rubber bullets. This is not a ban. I don't believe we have the power to do that under the charter. I do believe this is a statement of values and principle.

Goodman suggesting some hypocrisy here, regarding her colleague's work on this non-binding resolution against less-lethal projectiles (she found out about it yesterday). Says they're guilty of what they criticize the mayor for (not consulting with council on state of emergency).

Goodman: "I believe in Chief Arradondo. I support the chief. I support his decision making..." he has made some changes on less-lethal weapons and will likely make more.

Council Member Fletcher: "There's a reason this came forward on a tight timeline." We hosted researchers for a presentation on less-lethal weapons. We've had a public conversation.

Fletcher: We've asked the mayor and chief to consider changes, but we don't know if they've considered or rejected changes. There's a transparency issue that makes it important to continue to have public conversations.

Fletcher: there's an impulse to not want to say more because of ongoing lawsuits over the use of these weapons last year. At the same time, it's absolutely our duty to use our our power and influence, that we speak out to prevent future harm and future lawsuits.

Fletcher, responding to Goodman criticism: the reason to bring this forward so quickly, is because we've all suspected Operation Safety Net was essentially this approach. It has looked overly militarized and aggressive.

Fletcher: Had a police officer not killed Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, we may not have seen this. Now we've seen it. Important we speak out now to say this is not what we want in our city. The next time could be in Minneapolis.

Council Member Andrew Johnson: when these tools get used, what you end up seeing is that folks with families and those committed to peaceful protest end up leaving, those interested in confrontation are what's left. This escalates a situation.

Johnson: These chemicals are banned in war. "It's a real problem" to use them in our city.