Minneapolis will pay six influencers on social media to spread the approved messages through the city during the upcoming murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged in the death of George Floyd.
The Minneapolis City Council unanimously voted Friday to approve a $ 1 million communications and de-escalation plan that will partner with community leaders, local media and social media during the March trial of Chauvin, as well as the August trial. of three other former officers. charged in Floyd’s death.
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The social media influencers, whose contracts have yet to be finalized, will be paid $ 2,000 each to share ‘city-generated and approved messages’ targeted at the black, Native American, Somali, Hmong and Latinx communities. The attempt is intended to dispel misinformation and avoid the unrest that led to Floyd’s death last year, which included violence and looting.
Local activists criticize the move and feed the city is aimed at buying the story around the trials, eliminating freedom of speech and protests and turning influencers into mouthpieces for the city, reports WCCO.
However, the City of Minneapolis said in a statement that its goal is to increase access to information for communities that do not normally follow mainstream news sources or City communication channels and / or that do not consume information in English, “KSTP said. is also an opportunity to create more two-way communication between the city and communities. “
The City Communication Strategy, called the Joint Information System (JIS), aims to provide ‘improved community services during the trial to keep people informed and safe, especially non-English and black, colored people (BIPOC) and small businesses that do it. do not rely on traditional media. ‘
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As far as social influencers are concerned, the program approved by the city council involves the city ‘entering into paid partnerships with community members who are considered trusted messengers and have a large social media presence to send messages generated and approved by the city. Share.’ These individuals will also support ‘JIS situation monitoring’ to ‘address / send incorrect information’.
In a separate 11-2 vote Friday, the council also approved a plan that would allow Minneapolis police to enter into mutual assistance agreements with at least 14 law enforcement agencies for extra support during the trials surrounding Floyd’s death, Fox 9 reported. Minneapolis. The agreements could cost up to $ 1.5 million, which could be covered by the department’s prior budget.
“Our hope is that the number of days we will need these officers will be very short,” City Coordinator Mark Ruff said during the council meeting. “That it will be a trial where there is a peaceful expression of the rights to first amendment and not destruction or other forms of illegal activity that require these officers to be present for a number of days.”
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Meanwhile, Minnesota lawmakers were expected to resume negotiations over the weekend in an effort to break a deadlock over the creation of a new $ 35 million bill that could compensate mutual aid agencies, among others. during the Chauvin trial, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
City officials are expected to deliver a public briefing on 10:00 a.m. Monday on “plans and preparations to ensure community safety” during the Chauvin trial. The jury’s selection begins March 8 with the opening statements scheduled for March 29.
Floyd, who was black, died on May 25 after Chauvin, who is White, pressed his knee to Floyd’s neck while handcuffed and begged him not to be able to breathe. Chauvin is facing charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said more than 3,000 law enforcers from across the state and National Guard soldiers will be ready when the case goes to the jury. Last week, the mayor declared that Minneapolis is ‘open for business’, saying that people should work as usual.
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But new security measures around the courthouse, town hall and prison in Hennepin County – all in the heart of downtown – include three rings of concrete barriers, two of which are fenced with chain links, with a bowl in between filled with rolls of razor wire. The inner fence is covered with barbed wire and windows on the ground floor at all three buildings are on board, reports The Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.