Protestors hold Minneapolis city council vice president against her will until list of demands are met
Protestors surrounded Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins’ vehicle, preventing her from leaving a parking lot for more than 90 minutes until she agreed to a list of far-left demands.
“Man, you’ve gotta be f–king out of your mind,” Jenkins says to her hostage-keepers. “Bring me some Chipotle because I’m sitting here all f–king night. I am not signing s–t.”
The group’s leader, D.J. Hooker posted the final 20 minutes of the standoff in a video to his Facebook page. Hooker says in the video that he is upset with Jenkins, the first openly transgender woman to sit on the council, for showing up for a “photo op” at the Taking Back Pride 2021 march. Hooker also says Jenkins has been too supportive of the Minneapolis Police Department. In the video, Jenkins, who represents Ward 8, is seen in the passenger seat of a stopped white Kia, with numerous activists standing in front and behind the vehicle.
RELATED: Minneapolis dismantles ‘George Floyd Square’ and year-old autonomous zone
Prior to the confrontation at Jenkins’ vehicle, Hooker yelled at her saying “[The council hasn’t] passed any more legislation, except the fact that they give more money to the cops,” which led to an altercation between Hooker and Jenkins while walking to her vehicle.
“She has been mean, she has been rude,” Hooker says, accusing the driver of the vehicle of calling the cops on him.
Jenkins is heard speaking to someone on the phone saying, it “might be three days before I can get out of here.”
“She came here so she can say that she came out and she comes out for public events,” Hooker says to the camera, “even though she helps support the cops who kill Black people, and Black trans women.”
The protestors wrote out a list of demands and forced Jenkins to sign before allowing her to leave the area. Hooker read the demands out loud on camera. The demands were, the creation of a community police accountability commission, a reopening of all investigations into police killings, dropping any and all criminal charges against protesters, making all information regarding the law enforcement killing of Winston Smith public and available, the immediate resignation of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and lastly, leaving George Floyd Square alone.
RELATED: Man who set Minneapolis precinct fire must pay $12 million in restitution, serve four years in prison
Jenkins quickly responds “yes” to the first four demands. When the group read the demand for the Mayor to resign, Jenkins says “that’s your job.” The hostage-keepers then become agitated and begin yelling at her, she then throws her hands up in frustration and says “yes.”
The agitated group then demands she say the words “Frey should resign,” causing Jenkins to say “I’m really laughing because this is ridiculous.”
Hooker then gives Jenkins an ultimatum. If she agrees to the last demand of leaving George Floyd Square alone, she can leave. “Man, you’ve gotta be f–king out of your mind,” Jenkins says in return. “Bring me some Chipotle because I’m sitting here all f–king night. I am not signing s–t.”
Jenkins remains hostage in the vehicle unable to go anywhere for about another five minutes until she gave in and signed the paper. The protesters move away and she drives off.
The holding of the councilwoman against her will comes after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey admitted last month that the “defund the police” movement and rhetoric contributed to the recent spike in crime in the city.
“It’s just the reality of the solution, you know. When you make big, overarching statements that we’re going to defund or abolish and dismantle the police department and get rid of all the officers, there’s an impact to that,” Frey said.