Minneapolis to ban police chokeholds amid unrest

Move follows death of George Floyd while in custody – as civil rights probe launched

Negotiators for the city of Minneapolis have agreed with the state of Minnesota to ban the use of chokeholds by police officers.

They have also called for police to be required to report and intervene any time they see an unauthorised use of force by another officer.

The moves are part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of George Floyd in police custody.

The agreement, which will be enforceable in court, would require any officer to immediately report the use of any neck restraint or chokehold from the scene to their commander or their commander’s superiors.

Similarly, any officer who sees another officer commit any unauthorised use of force, including any chokehold or neck restraint, must try to intervene verbally and even physically.

If they do not, they would be subject to discipline as severe as if they themselves had used the prohibited force.

The agreement also requires authorisation from the police chief or a designated deputy chief to use crowd control weapons, including chemical agents, rubber bullets, flash-bangs, batons, and marking rounds.

And it requires more timely decisions on disciplining officers.

Meanwhile in Washington DC, city workers and activists painted the words Black Lives Matter in enormous bright yellow letters on the the street leading to the White House, a highly visible sign of the District of Columbia’s embrace of a protest movement that has put it at odds with President Donald Trump.

DC mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted aerial video of the mural shortly after it was completed yesterday.

The letters and an image of the city’s flag stretch across 16th Street for two blocks, ending just before the church where Mr Trump staged a photo-op after federal officers forcibly cleared a peaceful demonstration to make way for the president and his entourage.

“The section of 16th street in front of the White House is now officially Black Lives Matter Plaza,” Ms Bowser tweeted.

A black and white sign was put up to mark the change.

Ms Bowser’s endorsement of the project follows her verbal clashes with the Trump administration over the response to protests of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Ms Bowser has complained about the heavy-handed federal response.

Picture: AP. With the Washington Monument in the background, people walk on the street leading to the White House after the words Black Lives Matter were painted on it by city workers and activists.