Activists block Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins until she agrees to demands

Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins and Mayor Jacob Frey on Tuesday condemned the tactics of protesters who shouted at Jenkins and blocked her from leaving an event in Loring Park until she agreed to a list of their demands.

A 23-minute video showing a portion of their lengthy confrontation Sunday circulated on social media. Throughout the video, protesters rattled off demands — some of which Jenkins quickly agreed to, and some of which she pushed back on, insisting she needed to represent the people who live in her ward.

In the end, Jenkins signed a list of demands agreeing, among other things, to "leave George Floyd Square alone," support the creation of a civilian-led commission to oversee police, and call for the mayor's resignation. After she signed, people agreed to step away, clearing the way for the car she was riding in to drive off.

The encounter comes at a tense time, when re-election campaigns are escalating and residents are making conflicting demands as the city debates how to transform policing following George Floyd's death. Over the past year, some elected officials have raised concerns about the tactics protesters are using.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Jenkins said she was "verbally attacked, berated and held 'hostage' against my will by a large group of angry protesters."

She added: "Every citizen of this City has a right to bring forward their concerns, but no citizen has the right to detain and coerce anyone to do anything, that includes elected officials."

Frey echoed that sentiment Tuesday afternoon.

"Holding people for hours against their will until they make a statement under duress is completely unacceptable," he said. "It's wrong."

Activist D.J. Hooker, who posted the video to social media, said in an interview that the encounter lasted approximately two hours. He said he approached Jenkins after a Taking Back Pride event decrying police brutality. The event, according to a posting on social media, sought to prioritize the voices of people who are Black, transgender or queer. Jenkins was the first transgender woman of color elected to public office in a major U.S. city.

Hooker said he approached Jenkins to raise concerns about community groups contracted with the city to de-escalate tensions.

Hooker said he grew frustrated when Jenkins told him she didn't have control over them and she wouldn't commit to leaving George Floyd Square alone, so he said they would hold a peaceful protest outside her house. Hooker said he and Jenkins argued and someone jumped between them.

Hooker said Jenkins began walking away and he yelled, "Oh, you're gonna call the cops on me knowing … what the cops have done to George Floyd, what the cops have done to Dolal Idd and Winston Smith and Daunte Wright."

The video posted to social media begins with Hooker narrating and shows Jenkins sitting in the passenger seat of a white car, as people stand on three sides of it. A white post is behind the car.

Jenkins, who is on the phone, tells someone it might be "three days before I get out of here."

Jenkins then sits quietly, her hands pressed together as Hooker expresses frustration that city officials haven't done more to reduce police brutality.

Hooker begins reading off the list of demands, one by one. He asks if she will pledge her support for the creation of an elected, civilian commission to oversee police, for reopening cases in police killings, for dropping charges against protesters and releasing information about Smith's death. Each time, Jenkins says yes.

Hooker then asks her to pledge her support "for Jacob Frey's immediate resignation." Jenkins laughs, shakes her head side to side and, after additional prompting from protesters, eventually says, "Jacob Frey resign."

Hooker then asks her to "leave George Floyd Square alone. Period."

Jenkins responds: "Don't do my job, is that what you're asking me to do?"

The two begin talking over each other, and Jenkins adds: "I was elected to represent that neighborhood, so what you're asking me to do is to not do my job."

Several people in the crowd begin shouting. Jenkins rolls up her window, saying she won't sign anything, and people in the crowd continue to shout over each other.

A couple minutes later, Jenkins rolls down her window, and Hooker repeats the demand to leave the square alone.

"Fine, I'll leave George Floyd Square alone," Jenkins said. "I will not do my job."

Eventually the person in the driver's seat says this isn't a negotiation. Someone in the crowd says they're not asking, "we're demanding," and tells the person to "do your job and drive." The driver raises their middle finger. Jenkins pushes the driver's arm down, grabs the piece of paper with the demands and signs it. Protesters then ask her to print her name and date it.

Jenkins said she didn't run to deal with situations like that.

"I ran to represent people. That's what I did," Jenkins says to the crowd. "You stand up and do that one day."

A short bit later, people moved out of the way, and the car drove away.

Hooker said in an interview that they confronted Jenkins because they were tired of elected leaders making promises on policing and not following through. He said he would be surprised if Jenkins followed through on the document she signed.

Liz Navratil • 612-673-4994