Thread by @UR_Ninja

NEW: Private Mercenary Group Targets, Assaults, & Detains Anti-Police Protesters in Uptown Minneapolis

The 1st in a series on little known security firm Conflict Resolution Group & their founder Nathan Seabrook who is working hand-in-hand w local police
unicornriot.ninja/2021/private-m…

Following prolonged protests after a federal task force killed Winston Smith atop a parking ramp in Uptown Minneapolis, private security firm, Conflict Resolution Group (CRG) started armed patrols from the ramp & has since assaulted, detained, surveilled, & threatened community.

The night #WinstonSmith was killed by deputized agents, fires were lit in Uptown & roves of hooded youths ransacked a T-Mobile after police pulled up with their laser sight shining at the crowd & violently arrested several protesters. Protests continued. unicornriot.ninja/2021/federal-t…

Weeks of continued demonstrations occurred from community members saying that #WinstonSmithWasAssassinated. During a protest, #DeonaMarie was killed by a car attack by Nicholas Kraus, two days later police cleared barricades & make dozens of arrests. vimeo.com/577433492

Police continued their aggressive response to the presence of community members continuing to gather in Uptown Minneapolis to grieve for #WinstonSmith & protest for justice. Minneapolis Police arrest teams were regularly targeting activists.

https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/status/1405677340441653248

A community-run memorial garden named the Wince Marie Peace Garden was then erected & self-managed by those seeking justice for Smith and Deona Marie (there was also an ongoing vigil site at the place of Marie’s death).

The Wince Marie Peace Garden had repurposed a vacant lot into an ongoing vigil site with vegetable gardens, protest slogans, free meals & was a functional home for a number of community members. Yet, on July 14 the cmty was evicted & the garden demolished.

https://twitter.com/Nushuhhh/status/1418017825155866627

As the Wince Marie Peace Garden was being evicted, men from Conflict Resolution Group (CRG) patrolled.

Led by Nathan Seabrook (listed as an ex-police & army vet) they were dressed in fatigues with vests & helmets on, many donning pepper spray, firearms, zip ties, & glow sticks.

Within the first couple days of patrolling the five-level parking ramp where #WinstonSmith was killed, members of CRG had already detained & assaulted community members, leaving one with a traumatic brain injury after punching them in the head.

https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/status/1453543532308873227

The main assault occurred around 10:15p on July 14, the first night of CRG’s patrol. A community member named Hayley asked what the security personnel were doing & within minutes she was pushed to the ground, punched, & detained before CRG let her go amidst witness backlash.

The next day, July 15, many community members came to the parking ramp with some attempting to gain answers from CRG as to what happened with the assault the night before. CRG, in turn, detained several people for trespassing & arrested one.

The assaults by ex-mercenary-run Conflict Resolution Group caught the attention of the ACLU & the National Lawyer’s Guild, who joined activists, victims, and witnesses at a press conference to denounce the actions of the security firm a few days later.

Michelle Gross of @CUAPBMpls called CRG's conduct "unacceptable" & said she's "working with an individual who has gotten a traumatic brain injury as a result of being punched in the head by these people just for merely walking on their little driveway & asking them a question.”