MN Freedom Fighters Form A Community Safety Net

Reptile

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Minneapolis, MN – An armed security force, the MN Freedom Fighters, are now a regular sight providing security at protests and patrolling Broadway Avenue.

It started via a call out for a community patrol group for the Northside from Minneapolis NAACP’s President, Leslie Redmond, a few days after the George Floyd uprising began.

As riots swept through many Twin Cities neighborhoods in late May, the destruction reached the Northside. Within two days, organized and armed community patrols protected houses from arson, the community from threats of the police, and suspected racists looking to take advantage of the situation.

The MN (Minnesota) Freedom Fighters, originally MN Freedom Riders, recently renamed their group so as to not be confused with the Minnesota Freedom Riders of the 1960s.

The 2020 era Freedom Fighters call themselves an independent “elite security unit” dedicated to protecting “the citizens and businesses of the Twin Cities urban areas.

We don’t want to be the police, we are not the police. But, we want to protect our community and our people from the police and from threats.” — Newz, MN Freedom Fighters
Their objective is “not to be the police, but [to be] the bridge to link the police and the community together.

Being “the bridge” means they are not trying to replace the police and they made that clear when speaking with Unicorn Riot on June 19 at a Juneteenth Celebration on the Northside of Minneapolis and also on June 26 after a march for Breonna Taylor on the Southside. The following videos are excerpts of their interviews.

 
Ok, on the one hand, I don't have a problem with armed people policing their own neighborhoods while the cops eat popcorn.

On the other hand, I could find nothing on "klansmen at Minneapolis riot" or "Ashley Grove church burning". I may be wrong. If so correct me.
 
From one of my favorite movies, Heartbreak Ridge:

"Major Powers is creating an EEEEE-LIGHT force. . . "

"Shut up, Webster. Why don't you (insults not fitting for NES TOS)."


That said, I'm all for people defending their own neighborhoods.
 
It won’t be pretty, but Minneapolis wasn’t pretty before. You want to defend your community - It’s as the founders intended. Maybe a huge line item can be taken off some budgets - we have close to 20 officers in a town of ~5K I’m sure other towns are in the same boat.

Traffic stops and extorting money from passing motorists (like we saw in ?Atlanta?) not good and motorists can and should shoot you, run you over or whatever they feel comfortable with.
 
I'm all for communities protecting their own from the rioters and the lawless. That said I'm a bit skeptical that this particular group won't cross the line into harassment, vigilantism, racketeering, etc. I hope they don't*.

* - Test question: I wonder if they would accept the McCloskys as members?
 
Interested to see their reaction to a middle aged white guy who's just passing through. Time will tell...
 
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