“Gentlemen, there is no fighting in here…”

[Valin]

Power Line

Scott Johnson

May 14 2023

Minneapolis’s Ward 10 bisects Lake Bde Maka Spa, formerly known as Lake Calhoun. It includes the Uptown neighborhood running up to the lake as well as the Whittier neighborhood running from Lake Street to Franklin Avenue. It is, you might say in the current lingo, “diverse,” insofar as such diversity is understood to be consistent with one-party rule.

Minneapolis’s one party called a convention to endorse a candidate for the Ward 10 city council at Ella Baker Global Studies & Humanities Magnet School yesterday. Incumbent Aisha Chugtai (the council’s first Pakistani Muslim woman) is opposed by Nasri Warsame (a Somali Muslim man). As I say, it’s a “diverse” ward.

When Chugtai’s supporters took the stage for Chugtai’s speech, Warsame’s supporters advanced towards the stage and began pushing and shoving. It turned into a brawl and Chughtai was prevented from addressing the convention.

(Snip)

In an updated statement posted online, Chairman Martin ascribed blame to the Warsame supporters. After reviewing video, Martin commented:

As we learn more about the incident that took place at the Ward 10 endorsing convention, it is clear that the conflict was instigated by supporters of city council candidate Nasri Warsame. Harassment and violence are unacceptable, and we expect candidates and their campaign teams to work hard to curb such behavior when it comes from their supporters, staffers, or volunteers. Warsame and his team took the opposite approach at today’s convention by escalating the situation and encouraging conflict. Reprehensible behavior like this from any DFL Party candidate and campaign will not be tolerated.

I would like to apologize to City Council Member Aisha Chughtai, her supporters, and her campaign team for the way they were treated at the Ward 10 convention. Our candidates and supporters deserve a safe forum to campaign at, and the Ward 10 convention fell far short of that. Our party will work with local leaders in Minneapolis to ensure future events are not marred by reprehensible conduct.

I say the convention was mostly peaceful.

May 13, 2023

The Ward 10 Minneapolis DFL convention adjourned with no endorsement. As Council Member Aisha Chughtai and her supporters were taking the stage for her speech, Nasri Warsame supporters advanced towards the stage, and began pushing and shoving. Chughtai was prevented from addressing the convention. The chair adjourned the meeting, saying it was no longer safe. Police were called and the Ella Baker school was cleared out. The actions of Warsame's supporters ended the convention before any votes could be cast to endorse a candidate in the Ward 10 race for Minneapolis City Council.

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At 4:03 mark a transgender (I believe) makes an appearance. Or a Really Ugly kid.

 

[Valin]