Protesters took to the streets Thursday to protest the unlawful police killing of Philando Castile. They marched from the scene of the shooting to the Governor’s mansion in nearby St. Paul. They demanded a statement before they would leave. Governor Mark Dayton was met by an angry mob. Shouts of “we want justice now,” echoed throughout the crowd.
The Governor’s response was bold and to the point. He did not disappoint. Dayton opened a news conference Thursday stating that “no one should be shot in Minnesota for a taillight being out.” His remarks only intensified from there. Dayton continued stating “Justice will be served. Justice Must be served.” Hearing comments like this from a politician this quickly after an incident, gives new hope that justice may be more than just a concept in this case. The governor made it clear; he believed that if Castile was white, he would be alive today. “Would this have happened if those passengers, the driver and the passengers, were white? I don’t think it would have. … I think all of us in Minnesota are forced to confront that this kind of racism exists,” Dayton remarked at a press conference.
The National Association of Police Organizations lashed out at Dayton, stating his comments “exploited what was already a horrible situation.” The organization’s Executive Director Bill Johnson demonstrated just how out of touch police really are on a national level by stating “Whether race had something to do with it or not, I don’t know, because I can’t get into the officer’s head, and neither can the governor.” This also demonstrates how police will hesitate to criticize themselves for individual officer actions like this shooting or the shooting of Alton Sterling, while denying clear cut patterns of racism that have emerged. Simultaneously they lay blanket statements down that there is a “war on cops.” They can’t have it both ways. Individual situations matter and large scale emerging patterns matter and the two are integrally connected.
The governor’s statements were correct, despite the police organization’s backlash. He called for peace in the wake of this tragedy, and protesters listened. A vigil was held outside the Governor’s mansion on Friday, just a day after he was initially confronted by the angry crowd. The protests in Minnesota have remained peaceful despite the ever growing number of attendees. The Justice Department has yet to start their own investigation, waiting to see how the State investigation turns out. When the state investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to Ramsey County where their prosecutor John Choi will have to make a decision as to whether or not to bring charges against the officer in the case. Regardless of where the investigation leads, a decision of non-indictment would be a devastating blow to the community and the family of Philandro Castile.
Sources: NBC News, Washington Post.
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